Tesla Motors Replaces Eberhard as CEO
12 August 2007
The Mercury News reports that Tesla Motors, makers of the all-electric Tesla Roadster, has replaced Martin Eberhard, its co-founder and CEO, with Michael Marks, an early investor in Tesla.
Marks joined buyout firm KKR after a stint as CEO of Flextronics, a Singapore-headquartered electronics manufacturing services provider. Prior to joining Flextronics, Marks was president and CEO of Metcal, a precision heating instrument company in Menlo Park.
Tesla will post the news as a message from its chairman, Elon Musk, on its Web site (www.teslamotors.com) Monday morning, according to the Mercury News.
Eberhard is a co-founder of Tesla, and has been its CEO since 2003. He’ll continue as the company’s president of technology “and focus on the success of the Roadster program as well as the advancement of our core technologies,” Musk’s message says.
The statement gives no reason for the demotion of Eberhard. “Martin and the board have been planning for CEO succession since early this year, and will continue the search for a permanent CEO to lead Tesla Motors,” according to the statement.
Eberhard has been the public face of Tesla, testifying before Congress, the California Air Resources Board, and appearing with the roadster at high profile events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2006.
Trouble in paradise...
Posted by: jack | 13 August 2007 at 12:37 PM
To me, and I'm sure many others, Eberhard IS Tesla. I'm not sure why the position shift is taking place, but I would like to hear from Martin himself what is going on there.
Posted by: Schmeltz | 14 August 2007 at 05:05 AM
"To me, and I'm sure many others, Eberhard IS Tesla."
I wonder if this may symptomatic of the change. At some point Tesla will need to move from visionaries dream to competitive, profitable business. Eberhard stays on as president of technology, so it's possible that we can take them at their word that this is part of a planned transition...
Posted by: tato | 14 August 2007 at 07:01 AM
I wonder if this may symptomatic of the change. At some point Tesla will need to move from visionaries dream to competitive, profitable business. Eberhard stays on as president of technology, so it's possible that we can take them at their word that this is part of a planned transition...
Or he's just "looking to spend more time with his family." ;-)
Posted by: jack | 14 August 2007 at 07:43 AM
Companies of different sizes require different skill sets. This wouldn't be the first time a tech entrepreneur stepped (or was nudged) aside as a company grew to the point that it required more management skills to operate (and became a lot less fun to run).
Posted by: HenryP | 14 August 2007 at 08:24 AM
Eberhard is NOT Tesla.
I am Tesla.
I am not amused.
Nikola Tesla.
Posted by: Nikola Tesla | 14 August 2007 at 12:58 PM
Nikola: You're dead.
Posted by: HenryP | 15 August 2007 at 08:45 AM
You can now read a more comforting take on this news here:
http://www.teslamotors.com/blog2/?p=52
CEO of Flextronics is actually a superb credential for this job, because beating down the manufacturing costs of the mostly-electronic/electrical gear is the key to bringing these EVs to the masses, as well as reaching profitability.
Posted by: P Schager | 15 August 2007 at 02:01 PM