Tesla CFO resigns after 13 years with company

Zachary Kirkhorn resigned last week as Tesla’s chief financial officer after 13 years with the electric car giant, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The SEC filing shows Kirkhorn, who also held the playful title of “Master of Coin,” stepped down Aug. 4 as Tesla’s CFO. Kirkhorn has served in different finance positions since 2010 and was appointed to CFO in 2019, according to Tesla’s website.

“During his tenure, Tesla has seen tremendous expansion and growth. Tesla thanks Mr. Kirkhorn for his significant contributions,” the SEC filing said.

Kirkhorn oversaw the company’s first annual profit as it became one of the most valuable car companies in the world. He will serve Tesla through the end of the year to support “a seamless transition,” the filing said.

Vaibhav Taneja, the company’s chief accounting officer, was appointed last week to succeed Kirkhorn. The filing said Teneja will continue serving as chief accounting officer while taking on the CFO role.

A reason for Kirkhorn’s departure was not disclosed. He posted on Linkedin on Monday morning announcing his departure.

“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,” Kirkhorn wrote. 

“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 not possible. I also want to thank Elon for his leadership and optimism, which has inspired so many people.”