– Sreela Venkataratnam, a Tesla executive with 11 years at the company, announced her resignation on LinkedIn, citing the need for personal time with family and friends.
– Her departure contributes to a troubling trend, with at least six other senior executives leaving Tesla in 2023 amid layoffs and restructuring, including three resignations in just two weeks in April.
– Venkataratnam reflected on her time at Tesla as extraordinary, highlighting the company’s growth from under $1 billion in revenue to nearing $100 billion. She acknowledged the more challenging environment at Tesla today, saying, “It is definitely not for the faint of heart.”
– Alongside her exit, Allie Arebalo, the former head of human resources, also departed, leaving only one woman in a VP role at Tesla.
– Notably, Rich Otto, Tesla’s head of product launches, also left earlier this year, expressing concerns about the company’s culture and morale post-layoffs.
– Tesla has faced scrutiny due to its high-profile management changes and a recent decline in company value.