Tesla hires Deepak Ahuja away from Ford to serve as CFO
Tesla Motors has hired Deepak Ahuja away from the Ford Motor Company to serve as its new Chief Financial Officer. This announcement comes right after the automaker's hiring of Franz von Holzhausen from Mazda to serve as its Design Director. Seems like Tesla is serious about bringing in talent from Detroit to mesh with the Silicon Valley minds it already has procured. Ahuja had previously served as the man in charge of bringing small European-market Ford products to America. Before that, he was the CFO of Ford of Southern Africa and for Auto Alliance International, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and Mazda. It sounds as if Ahuja has the right stuff to guide Tesla's financial future as the company continues the extremely difficult task of launching mainstream electric vehicles before even the established players are able to do so. We've pasted the official press release after the break.
[Source: Tesla Motors]
PRESS RELEASE
Deepak Ahuja, Seasoned Auto Industry Finance Executive, Joins Tesla Motors as CFO
SAN CARLOS, CA – Deepak Ahuja, a seasoned auto industry finance executive with 15 years experience at Ford Motor Company, has joined Tesla Motors as Chief Financial Officer.
Deepak was previously the controller for Ford's small cars product development program, a strategic initiative to bring several fuel efficient cars to Ford's lineup in the United States. Previously, Deepak was CFO for Ford of Southern Africa, a $3 Billion subsidiary where he oversaw the finance, legal and IT functions. Prior to that, Deepak served as CFO for Auto Alliance International, a joint venture between Ford and Mazda with over $4 billion in revenue.
"Deepak's experience as CFO of multi-billion dollar business units with global sourcing and manufacturing operations makes him the ideal person to lead our finance organization through the company's next period of rapid growth," said Tesla CEO Ze'ev Drori. "The addition of another seasoned auto industry executive to the senior management team at Tesla demonstrates that Tesla is focused on combining the best of what Detroit and Silicon Valley has to offer in building the next great American automobile company."
"The opportunity to work for the leading alternative energy automobile company in the world, and one with as strong a brand as Tesla, is very exciting." said Deepak. "The team here has the vision, passion and the determination to make Tesla a driving force of change."
Deepak holds bachelors and masters degrees in Materials Engineering from Banaras Hindu University and Northwestern University, respectively and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. Deepak, his wife and two daughters have moved from Michigan to Silicon Valley, where Deepak will work out of Tesla's San Carlos headquarters.
Recently, Tesla Motors announced the appointment of auto industry veteran Mike Donoughe as EVP Vehicle Engineering and Manufacturing. The press release of the previous announcement can be found on Tesla's website.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rob 9:12PM (8/04/2008)
So wait... Until recently he was responsible for Ford's utter, total and complete failure in successfully bringing European models to North America?
I'm not sure that's the kind of thing I'd want to put on my resume...
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Dave 9:36PM (8/04/2008)
I would imagine they will make a public equity offering so they will have enough working capital to expand and offer the additional products that they have discussed. It looks like they are adding some serious talent to their infrasturcture so they can expand rapidly and get even further ahead of their potential competition. I wish them the best of luck as the proliferation of EV's is in our best interest.
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BG Auto 9:41PM (8/04/2008)
Please read-Americans need to know!!!!!!!!
NHTSA Hearings 8/4/08
I just returned from the NHTSA hearings held today (August 4, 2008) in Washington D.C., regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for NEW Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards (CAFÉ) for years 2011-2015.
IMPORTANT FACTS: You will not believe what you are reading.
1) The 414 pages DEIS analysis was based on an average gasoline price of USD $2.16/gallon for 2011-2020. A calculation approved by the NHTSA administrators/managers. Would you believe it???????????
2) The new CAFÉ rules were also established, negotiated and pre-approved by the NHTSA’s management along with the influence of domestic automotive companies and their lobbyists. We have now established fuel standards for 2011-2020 that are presently met throughout the rest of the Western world (see elow)
As one guest speaker said today “are they on another planet?”
NHTSA “NEW Fuel Standards” (2011-2015) decision:
Automobiles are to achieve 31.2 mpg by 2011 and 35.7 mpg by 2015. Light trucks are to achieve 25 mpg by 2011, and 28.6 mpg by 2015.
The NTHSA is also setting a goal of 35 mpg on average for 2020.
America needs to know:
The European Union is currently establishing standards, with a goal of reaching 48.9 miles per gallon for new passenger vehicles as early as 2012. The current EU standard already requires more than 40 miles per gallon about 15% higher than the U.S. goal set for 12 years from now.
Japan currently has a standard of about 40 miles per gallon. Japan aims to further improve fuel efficiency by 17% by 2015, reaching 46.9 miles per gallon.
China has a current average of slightly under 35 miles per gallon. Chinese fuel standards are on target to reach the government’s goal of 35.8 miles per gallon by 2009. China will not only meet, but exceed, the goal just established by the United States for 2020 — more than a full decade earlier.
Australia is targeting 34.4 miles per gallon by 2010.
Canada is targeting 34.1 miles per gallon by 2010.
Under the current administration, purchasing an electric vehicle is becoming more of a necessity rather than an alternative.
BG Automotive Group, Ltd.
http://www.BGelectricCars.com
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axiom 9:55PM (8/04/2008)
Welcome to America, or as we are now starting to call it here, The Great American Horror Shop. These numbers are utterly incredible.
duby-bonger 12:02AM (8/05/2008)
None of these regions have a ridiculous arbitrary NOx requirement of 0.07g/mi. My recommendation is for the US people to lobby congress to pull in the mileages by 5 years and compromise by doubling all NOx requirements for diesels (tier 2 bin 5 NOx requirement would become 0.14g/mi which is still less than1/2 of most international standards). After treatments like the particulate filter and requirements for all other gases would remain the same. This would help NOW with both total emissions AND reduce or eliminate foreign oil importation.
stevefazek 10:39PM (8/04/2008)
good thing they didnt take fords NA CFO lol
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malcolm 4:30AM (8/05/2008)
Don't forget the difference between the US and the Imperial gallon makes the European mileage figures look higher anyway. 40 miles per (Imperial) gallon is equal to 33.3 miles per (US) gallon simply because the US gallon is smaller by 0.76 litres.
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