AUSTIN, TX — Raj Jegannathan, a cornerstone of Tesla’s technical leadership for over a decade, has officially announced his departure from the company. Joining in 2012 as a senior staff engineer and rising to Vice President of IT, AI Infrastructure, Business Apps, and Information Security, Jegannathan was one of the few executives reporting directly to CEO Elon Musk.
His exit comes at a critical juncture for the automaker, which is currently navigating its first annual revenue decline (3% in 2025) while aggressively reorienting its business toward Optimus humanoid robots and Robotaxis.
1. A Rare “End-to-End” Leader
Jegannathan was unique for his cross-functional remit. While his primary focus was the “back-end” of Tesla’s power, his role expanded significantly in late 2025:
- AI Infrastructure: He managed the design and operation of one of the world’s largest AI clusters, essential for Full Self-Driving (FSD) training.
- Sales & Service Pivot: Following the dismissal of Troy Jones in July 2025, Jegannathan was tapped to lead North American Sales. Analysts viewed this as an “engineering-first” approach to solving Tesla’s demand challenges.
- The “Invisible” Exit: Internal reports suggest Jegannathan had been inactive on company systems since January 2026, leading to speculation about his departure weeks before his official LinkedIn post on Monday, February 9.
2. The Context: A “Revolving Door” in Leadership?
Jegannathan’s departure is the latest in a series of high-profile exits over the past 12 months, raising questions about executive stability:
| Executive | Role | Departure Date |
| Raj Jegannathan | VP, IT/AI & Head of NA Sales | February 2026 |
| Troy Jones | VP, North American Sales | July 2025 |
| Omead Afshar | VP, Sales & Manufacturing | June 2025 |
| Milan Kovac | Optimus Robot Team Lead | Late 2025 |
3. Academic Roots: From Tamil Nadu to Tesla
Jegannathan’s journey is a notable story of the Indian-origin talent pipeline in Silicon Valley:
- Schooling: A.R.L.M Matric Hr Sec School, Tamil Nadu.
- Undergrad: B.Sc from St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science.
- Post-Grad: Master of Computer Applications (MCA) from Sacred Heart College, Vellore.
- Tesla Career: 13 years (2012–2026).
4. Strategic Impact: The $20B AI Pivot
His departure coincides with Tesla’s January 2026 announcement to invest over $20 billion in AI compute and robotics this year alone.
- Model S & X Discontinued: The company recently halted production of its legacy luxury models to clear factory space for Optimus Gen 3 production.
- Leadership Vacuum: With Jegannathan gone, Tesla loses a veteran who understood how to “harness AI effectively to achieve meaningful outcomes across products and customer support,” as he noted in his farewell.