Who is Tom Zhu, known as Tesla’s No.2 after Elon Musk? | World news
Electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc has promoted the company’s China chief Tom Zhu to oversee its US assembly plants and sales operations in North America and Europe – making Zhu the highest-profile executive at Tesla after Elon Musk. The automaker’s announcement showed Zhu’s appointment as vice president for Greater China was unchanged, and he retained his responsibilities as Tesla’s chief executive officer for sales in the rest of Asia, Reuters news agency reported.
All you need to know about Tom Zhu:
1. Born in China, Tom Zhu now has a New Zealand passport. He holds a Bachelor of commerce degree in information technology from Auckland University of Technology, and graduated from the MBA program at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
2. Before 2014, he was a project manager in a company established by his MBA colleagues at Duke University – advising Chinese contractors working on infrastructure projects in Africa.
Also read: Tesla sold 1.3 million cars last year
3. Zhu joined Tesla in early 2014 to help build out its Supercharger network.
4. He rose through Tesla’s ranks quickly – becoming the manager of China operations at the end of his first year. Tesla’s Shanghai factory – the company’s first outside the US – quickly began producing electric cars in under 12 months.
5. In July 2022, Zhu was promoted to oversee all of Tesla Asia Pacific as the automaker expanded into Thailand, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
6. Tesla’s country managers in China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand have reported to Zhu and will continue to do so.
7. Zhu’s China team has received praise from Elon Musk for “burning oil at 3 am” during Shanghai’s Covid lockdown. Tom Zhu is among the first batch of workers to be laid off at the company as they seek to keep it running, Reuters reported.
Also read: Musk told Tesla employees not to ‘get carried away by the stock market’ after shares fell
8. Almost always dressed in a Tesla-branded fleece, Zhu is known for his buzz cut and reportedly no-fuss management style. He lives in a two-room, government-subsidized rental house about a 10-minute drive from the factory that costs less than 2,000 yuan ($300) a month, Bloomberg reported.
9. During an interview with Chinese media last year, Zhu mentioned that he starts his work day around 6 a.m. to catch up with his colleagues in North America before they turn in for the evening. Then, he travels to the factory – sometimes sharing with other workers who live in the same complex.
10. Zhu has steered clear of the limelight, fast away from public appearances.
(With inputs from Reuters, Bloomberg)
