How To Turn Off And Power Down Your Tesla

Maybe your like

Tesla's VP of Finance Resigns March 9, 2026 By Nehal Malik Share on Facebook

Not a Tesla App

Tesla is losing one of its longest-standing veterans as the company continues to navigate a major transition in its core business. Sendil Palani, Tesla’s Vice President of Finance, has officially announced his departure after an incredible 17-year tenure that saw the company grow from a struggling startup to a global powerhouse.

In a heartfelt farewell shared on X, Palani reflected on a journey that began when the company’s survival was far from guaranteed. His exit marks the end of a chapter that spanned nearly two decades of rapid innovation and financial complexity.

Seventeen Years on the "Tesla Deathwatch"

Palani joined Tesla’s finance team in early 2009, just days after the company "barely survived Christmas 2008". At the time, the automaker was under what Palani described as an ongoing "Tesla Deathwatch". The early days were defined by extreme grit; he recalled sleeping under his desk in San Carlos, California, noting that he was far from the only employee pushed to such limits.

During his time, Palani moved beyond traditional accounting to witness the "physics of a brake rotor" and the "training of a neural network". He praised his finance team as "heroes within a company full of heroics," managing everything from hardware and software sales to complex digital assets. His tenure covered the launch of every major Tesla vehicle and the massive scaling of its global manufacturing footprint.

A Message to Elon Musk and the Team

In his departure message, Palani expressed deep gratitude to his colleagues and CEO Elon Musk. He thanked Musk for "demonstrating the power of thinking from first principles at all times, about all things". He encouraged those outside the company to "seek the truth about the company at all times" rather than relying on oversimplified narratives.

Palani’s farewell was not just a goodbye but a defense of the company's culture, stating that the level of commitment and collaboration within the team was the "obvious predictor" of the successes that followed the early lean years.

An Uptick in High-Profile Departures

This exit comes as Tesla faces a notable exodus of longtime executives. Just last month, Raj Jegannathan, who was leading North American sales, left after 13 years. This followed the departure of sales leader Troy Jones in July 2025, highlighting continued volatility in management.

More recently, Victor Nechita, the Cybercab Vehicle Program Manager, left just months before mass production is slated to begin. Even more recently, Thomas Dmytryk, a director instrumental in building Tesla's over-the-air (OTA) software update infrastructure and Robotaxi platform, exited after 11 years.

This leadership turnover arrives at a critical moment for Tesla as it pivots from being a traditional carmaker to an AI and robotics company. While losing decades of experience is a challenge, the company is betting its future on autonomy and the Sustainable Abundance Palani alluded to in his farewell. Whether Tesla’s next leaders can maintain the "unstoppable force" Palani described remains to be seen.