Elon Musk Fires His Close Aide And Tesla’s Top Exec, Omead Afshar, Amid Falling EV Sales; Who is He?

Months after his stint running the federal job-slashing DOGE initiative, Elon Musk is struggling to handle the turmoil at his electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing company, Tesla. The billionaire, once a close aide of US President Donald Trump, recently fired Tesla's top executive, Omead Afshar, amid the declining sales of the EV maker.

The constant decline in Tesla EV sales troubled Elon Musk for months, who is struggling to convince investors that the company's future lies with a new robotaxi service, humanoid robots and AI. Amid Tesla's declining sales in North America and Europe, Elon Musk expelled the company's head of operations in both regions, reported Forbes, citing sources.

Who is Omead Afshar?

For the people who know Elon Musk, Omead Afshar, used to be the billionaire's right-hand. He was once called as Musk's fixer by the Wall Street Journal in an article published in November 2024. The American with Iranian roots, shifted to Tesla's headquarters in Austin last year when Musk restructured his leadership team.

Afshar celebrated the robotaxi rollout in his June 23 post on X. "Absolutely historic day for Tesla. This has been *years* of hard work and focus by so many people within the company," he wrote. "Thank you, Elon, for pushing us all!" read a post by Afshar.

He completed his Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Mechanical Engineering. His first job during his studies was a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain in California, reported Hindustan TImes citing IBT.

He started his career in the medical field and joined St Jude Medical ion 2011 as a product engineer. Later he advanced his leadership roles and reached to higher ranks in the company. According to reports, Afshar joined Tesla in 2017 when the EV maker was in the process of beginning the production of the Model 3 sedan.

Elon Musk And Tesla Trouble

Elon Musk's Tesla is currently facing a significant decline in its sales over the past few months. The EV maker recently rolled out robotaxis in a Texas test. However, Tesla's initial public trial of robotaxis has encountered several traffic-related challenges. Videos from selected participants highlighted these issues during the first few days, reported news agency Reuters on June 25. The trial is crucial for Tesla as CEO Elon Musk links the company's financial future to self-driving technology. Despite a decline in sales, Musk plans to expand this service to other U.S. cities later this year.
Among the problems observed were Tesla robotaxis entering incorrect lanes and dropping passengers off in the middle of roads or intersections. Instances of abrupt braking, speeding, and even driving over curbs were also reported. In one case, a robotaxi mistakenly drove into a lane designated for oncoming traffic, causing a nearby vehicle to honk.
Tesla's test involves human safety monitors seated in the front passenger seat to oversee operations. In one video, a safety monitor intervened by pressing a button when a delivery truck began reversing towards the robotaxi. Alain Kornhauser from Princeton University noted that while some incidents might seem alarming, they reflect decisions prioritising safety, reported Reuters.