Tesla’s vice president of finance and business operations has resigned, the latest in a string of executive departures at the electric vehicle maker.
Sreela Venkataratnam, who worked at Tesla for 11 years, said in a LinkedIn post that she was leaving to “spend more time with family, reconnect with friends and focus on personal well-being.”
In response to a comment on the post, Venkataratnam acknowledged that working at Tesla is “definitely not for the faint of heart.”
Venkataratnam is the fourth executive to leave in five months.
Martin Viecha, vice president of investor relations, Drew Baglino, senior vice president of transmission and energy, and Rohan Patel, vice president of public policy and business development, left Tesla in April.
That same month, CEO Elon Musk fired Rebecca Tinucci, senior director of electric vehicle charging, and Daniel Ho, director of vehicle programs and new product introductions.
“The fact that [Venkataratnam] “The fact that she’s been there for 11 years is probably more surprising than the fact that she’s leaving,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst for electric mobility at Guidehouse Insights.
While Venkataratnam’s departure may not have a material impact on the business, it does pose an optical problem, said Jeff Osborne, a mobility technology analyst at TD Cowen.
Tesla has several challenges to face in the coming months. It is unveiling its robotaxi venture on Oct. 10, though it’s unclear how the company’s camera-only system will work for such complex autonomous use. Investors and analysts are also expecting updates on a potential Model Y refresh. Osborne said he’s hearing questions about whether updates to Tesla’s full self-driving technology will work on older platforms.
Additionally, Musk has been increasingly visible in former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, a path littered with public relations landmines. Trump sat down for a two-hour interview with Musk in early August, and later said he would be open to naming Musk to an advisory or cabinet role.
All of this could impact Tesla’s market share.
“What is this doing to the brand?” Osborne said. “I’m not sure we’ve reached a point where driving a Tesla is akin to wearing a MAGA hat, but that’s the risk.”