Vaibhav Taneja Takes Over as Tesla CFO as Zachary Kirkhorn Steps Down

Indian-origin executive Vaibhav Taneja has taken over the reins as Tesla’s new Chief Financial Officer following the departure of Zachary Kirkhorn, who had been serving as the finance chief. This change was announced through an official company filing on Monday.

Vaibhav Taneja, aged 45, has been appointed as Tesla’s CFO while retaining his current position as Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) at the prominent U.S.-based electric vehicle manufacturer. The transition occurred on Friday, coinciding with Kirkhorn’s decision to step down from his role as Tesla’s finance head after a notable four-year tenure.

Zachary Kirkhorn, often referred to as Tesla’s “Master of Coin,” contributed significantly to the company’s financial strategy during his 13-year association with the Elon Musk-led enterprise. His departure marks a chapter of significant expansion and achievement for the American EV powerhouse, as highlighted in the official filing.

In a LinkedIn post, Kirkhorn shared, “This morning Tesla announced that I’ve stepped down from my role as Chief Financial Officer, succeeded by our Chief Accounting Officer, Vaibhav Taneja. Being a part of this company is a special experience, and I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done together since I joined over 13 years ago. As I shift my responsibilities to support this transition, I want to thank the talented, passionate, and hard-working employees at Tesla, who have accomplished things many thought were not possible. I also want to thank Elon for his leadership and optimism, which has inspired so many people.