LOS ANGELES: A relatively little-known information technology executive is running Tesla’s sales team as the electric carmaker grapples with a sales freefall, according to people familiar with the matter.

Raj Jegannathan, a senior executive with a wide purview including several IT and data functions, recently took over the sales role, said the sources. Some inside Tesla have interpreted this to mean that Jegannathan has assumed the role of Troy Jones, Tesla’s top sales executive in North America until he departed earlier this month after 15 years with the company.

Jegannathan, who has recently grown closer to CEO Elon Musk, has no traditional sales experience, according to two people familiar with the matter and his LinkedIn profile. Demand for Tesla’s cars in Europe and North America has dropped sharply. Last quarter, its sales plunged 13 per cent to the weakest in nearly three years, due to a backlash to Musk’s politics, an aging vehicle lineup and increased competition from rivals offering more affordable alternatives.

Jones, the latest in a string of high-level departures, managed the fallout as Musk’s political affiliation with US President Trump prompted left-leaning consumers to shun Tesla.

As Tesla’s sales were dropping earlier this year, Jones implored managers to work on selling and pushed back against concerns over political headwinds. Other key figures who recently left include Musk’s confidant Omead Afshar, who was in charge of sales and manufacturing operations in North America and Europe. —Reuters