SAN FRANCISCO — Tesla Inc. has lost two of its most senior financial executives in short succession within weeks of when the electric-car maker will give an update on the Model 3 sedan that it's struggled to mass produce.
Susan Repo, Tesla's corporate treasurer and vice president of finance, left to become the chief financial officer of another company, according to a person familiar with the matter. Last week, Tesla disclosed Chief Accounting Officer Eric Branderiz parted ways for personal reasons.
Tesla is expected to report production and deliveries early next month that will be closely watched for whether the company reached a target to make 2,500 Model 3 sedans a week by the end of the first quarter. CEO Elon Musk has delayed manufacturing goals several times for the car that Tesla has spent billions on to reach more mass market consumers. A base version will eventually be priced at for $35,000 before incentives.
"Elon Musk has to be careful to stabilize his company" amid reports of quality issues with the Model 3, a recent production pause for the car and the spate of management changes, said Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, the director of the University of Duisburg-Essen's Center for Automotive Research. "That doesn't look very comfortable."
Repo, who joined Tesla in 2013, according to her LinkedIn profile, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The person who confirmed her departure wasn't authorized to speak publicly and asked not to be named.
