Tesla’s CFO steps down after 13 years

Another day, another CFO departure.

Tesla’s CFO Zach Kirkhorn stepped down from his post effective August 4, according to a Monday regulatory filing from the automaker.

The company’s chief accounting officer, Vaibhav Taneja, will take over as CFO, holding both positions simultaneously. Kirkhorn will continue to serve Tesla in an unspecified capacity until the end of the year “to support a seamless transition,” per the filing. He served a 13-year stint at the company, during which time he worked as “master of coin” as well as CFO.

Kirkhorn’s unexpected departure is likely to impact Elon Musk’s succession planning, as he looked like a potential successor for Musk. Although the company has seen its fair share of turnover over the years, Kirkhorn is leaving at a comparatively stable time for senior leadership at the automaker.

Still, Tesla lacks a clear number two in the C-Suite. Notably, Kirkhorn possessed a skill that was likely necessary for long-term success at the automaker: According to those who worked alongside him, he was a talented Musk whisperer, capable of effectively communicating with the famously finicky CEO.

Tesla board members had discussed the possibility of Kirkhorn taking over from Musk as CEO, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal also reported that Musk and Kirkhorn’s relationship seemed to mirror that of Apple CEO Tim Cook and his predecessor, Steve Jobs.

But now, he’s out. In a LinkedIn post, Kirkhorn thanked Musk for his “leadership and optimism.”

“As I shift my responsibilities to support this transition, I want to thank the talented, passionate, and hard-working employees at Tesla, who have accomplished things many thought not possible,” he wrote.