Tesla’s Head of Product, Rich Otto, announced his departure on Wednesday after seven years with Elon Musk’s EV company, expressing concerns over recent layoffs and their impact on morale.
Electric-Vehicles.com reports that once a celebrated employee at Tesla, Head of Product Rich Otto announced his resignation in the first days of May after nearly seven years at the company. His departure comes amid a tumultuous period for the electric vehicle giant, which recently initiated significant layoffs that have disrupted morale and equilibrium within the company.
In a LinkedIn post, Otto expressed concern over the corporation’s recent layoffs, describing them as “rocking the company.” He further elaborated that these initiatives have disrupted the company’s harmony, shattered morale, and made it difficult to understand the long-term vision, thereby necessitating his departure.
Tesla Sacramento fire (Sacramento Fire Department)
Tesla car fire Canada ( Sons of Vancouver Distillery/YouTube)
As a seasoned professional with experience spanning more than seven years at the company, Otto brings invaluable insights into the corporate culture of Tesla. He joined the company in September 2017 as a senior specialist of Communications and Press Fleet. Before his tenure at Tesla, he spent one and a half years at electric vehicle startup Faraday Future.
During his time at the helm of product decisions at Tesla, Otto has managed a multitude of projects, including serving as a program manager for various Tesla events. These include the launch of the Cybertruck in November, the grand opening of GigaTexas, and the initial deliveries of the Model Y in April 2022.
Reflecting on his decision to leave, Otto underlined his role in overseeing the Tesla Cybertruck production and delivery event, which required him to manage more than 100 employees distributed across 12+ teams.
In his LinkedIn post announcing his resignation, Otto highlighted his contributions to the company and the positive experiences he gained during his time at Tesla. He expressed gratitude to his colleagues from various teams, including design, manufacturing, creative, and sales, leading to a collaborative and fruitful work environment.
Despite his departure, Otto remains hopeful that Tesla and its employees can bounce back from these recent layoffs. He also extended a helping hand for any current employees affected by the downsizing. A number of reports also claim that Tom Zhu, Tesla’s Senior Vice President of Automotive, is set to return to China as a vice president for the market. This move comes amidst the company’s continued restructuring efforts.
In recent weeks, several senior executives have left or been affected by layoffs at Tesla, including Rebecca Tinucci, Sr Director of charging, and Daniel Ho, Director of Vehicle Programs and New Product Introduction (NPI).
Read more at Electric-Vehicles.com here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
