Tesla has appointed Joe Ward, its vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, to oversee global sales operations. The move follows the departure of Raj Jegannathan, a veteran executive who led sales since last July. This change comes amid significant sales declines in Europe.
Tesla announced the promotion of Joe Ward to head its global sales, service, and delivery organization, according to a Bloomberg report. Ward, who has been vice president for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for over five years, joined the company in 2010 as a logistics intern in the United Kingdom. He later moved to the Netherlands in 2012 to lead sales administration. With more than 15 years at Tesla, Ward takes on the role as the company faces challenges in its automotive business, particularly in Europe.
The appointment follows the exit of Raj Jegannathan, who announced on Monday that he was leaving after 13 years at Tesla. Jegannathan, an engineering executive who rose to vice president of IT, AI infrastructure, apps, infosec, and vehicle service operations, had been leading sales operations since July 2025. He stepped in after Troy Jones departed as vice president of North America sales following 15 years with the company. This is part of a broader pattern of executive departures at Tesla, including vehicle program managers for the Cybertruck, Model 3, and Model Y, as well as Omead Afshar, who briefly oversaw sales.
Tesla's sales in Europe have declined sharply. In Germany, sales fell by 48% in 2025, with the downturn continuing into 2026. January figures showed a 57% plunge in the UK, a 67% drop in the Netherlands, and a 42% decline in France. The company has not introduced new models or significant updates to existing vehicles. Automotive revenue accounted for about 70% of Tesla's total $24.9 billion in the last quarter.
