Leader of Tesla’s Semi program moving to company’s auto division

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Updated Sep 11, 2018
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Long-time Tesla engineer Jerome Guillen, who had been leading Tesla’s electric Semi program, has been promoted to President of Automotive, reporting directly to Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk.

Prior to joining Tesla, Guillen severed as Freightliner’s general manager of new product development and was part of the team that launched the company’s on-highway flagship tractor, Cascadia.

“In his new role, Jerome will oversee all automotive operations and program management, as well as coordinate our extensive automotive supply chain,” Tesla wrote in an email to employees Friday.

Guillen is no stranger to Tesla’s car business, having previously served as program director for the Model S and more recently played a critical role in ramping up lagging production of the Model 3, “leading what almost all thought was impossible: creation of an entire high-volume General Assembly line for Model 3 in a matter of weeks,” the memo says.

Guillen’s promotion was part of several key personnel moves made to shore up recent departures.

The ongoing development of Tesla’s electric Semi will continue to fall under Guillen’s responsibilities.

Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected].Â