After smoking marijuana, Elon Musk rejigs top Tesla management
San Francisco, Sep 8 : Creating a storm by smoking marijuana during a live podcast that led to Tesla stocks crashing 10 per cent to hit the lowest level since 2016, Chairman and CEO Elon Musk on Saturday announced a major shake-up in the top echelons of the electric car-making company.
Tesla's shares tanked on Friday after its two top executives --including chief accounting officer Dave Morton -- announced they would quit after Musk was filmed smoking marijuana during a podcast hosted by comedian Joe Rogan.
In a new blog post, Musk announced a number of top management changes after discussing with the Tesla board of directors and executive staff.
"Jerome Guillen has been promoted to President, Automotive, reporting directly to me. In his new role, Jerome will oversee all automotive operations and programme management, as well as coordinate our extensive automotive supply chain," said Musk.
Kevin Kassekert has been promoted as Vice President of People and Places, with responsibility for human resources, facilities, construction and infrastructure development.
"As many of you know, Tesla's Chief People Officer Gaby Toledano has been on leave for a few months to spend more time with her family and has decided to continue doing so for personal reasons," Musk added.
Chris Lister who joined Tesla last year and was key to solving production problems at the Gigafactory in Nevada and ramping Model 3 production has been promoted to Vice President, Gigafactory Operations.
"In this role, he leads our production and manufacturing engineering at Giga. Before Tesla, Chris ran several ultra high volume factories at PepsiCo," Musk informed, adding that Laurie Shelby, Tesla's VP, Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) will also report directly to him.
"We are about to have the most amazing quarter in our history, building and delivering more than twice as many cars as we did last quarter.
"For a while, there will be a lot of fuss and noise in the media. Just ignore them. Results are what matter and we are creating the most mind-blowing growth in the history of the automotive industry," Musk wrote.
Dave Arnold has been promoted to Senior Director, Global Communications, overseeing Tesla's communications team. Musk also announced a new product lineup.
"There is the Model Y, the Tesla (pickup) Truck, the Semi and the new Roadster. Then there is the Solar Roof, which is spooling up in production, and continued advancements in Powerwall and Powerpack. And that's just what people know about," he said.
On Friday, Tesla shares dropped to nearly $252 -- their biggest single-day drop in two years after Musk was seen smoking weed on the show.
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Agra: Karni Sena holds armed rally against Samajwadi Party’s MP, police stand down
Agra: An armed rally by Karni Sena has sparked serious concerns over law enforcement and public safety, in Agra on Friday, openly brandishing swords and sticks while raising provocative slogans against Samajwadi Party MP Dr. Ramji Lal Suman. The rally, held to mark the birth anniversary of Rajput icon Rana Sanga, witnessed the participation of thousands of Karni Sena members, many of whom were seen carrying weapons in the presence of the police.
Despite the large police deployment, including PAC personnel and senior officers such as the Additional Commissioner, no preventive or punitive action was taken by law enforcement authorities as the rally progressed. Visuals that have now gone viral on social media show rally participants waving swords, raising slogans, and even threatening prominent political figures, including former Chief Minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
The rally was reportedly organized to press for action against Dr. Ramji Lal Suman, the SP MP from Agra, who had earlier made a remark citing historical sources that Rana Sanga had invited Mughal ruler Babar to India. Although Suman had publicly apologized for the remark and clarified that it was not intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments, the Karni Sena had reacted sharply, terming it an insult to Rajput pride.
On March 26, 2025, soon after Suman's statement, Karni Sena members had reportedly attacked the MP's residence in Agra. Stones were pelted, vehicles were vandalized, windows smashed, and even police personnel were injured during the violence. Despite the severity of the incident, no major crackdown followed. The April 12 rally has now reignited concerns about the administration's handling of the group.
The Karni Sena had publicly declared their intent to organize the rally irrespective of police permission. Their national president, Raj Shekhawat, had even stated that they would march toward Suman’s house if their demands were not met. In anticipation, Agra Police had increased security outside the MP’s residence, ordered an additional 1,200 helmets and 1,000 batons, deployed drones, and set up barricades in sensitive zones.
However, when the rally took place, the arrangements appeared insufficient and ineffective. Crowd control measures were not enforced, and police presence appeared symbolic rather than deterrent. According to reports, the participants ignored police warnings, waving weapons and sticks in full view of law enforcement, and shouting slogans against SP leaders.
In a particularly alarming development, a Karni Sena leader can be seen in a viral video threatening to kill SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. Despite this direct threat, there has been no confirmation from the police on any action taken against the speaker.
The silence of the administration during the rally, as well as in response to the earlier March 26 attack on the MP's house, has raised sharp criticism. Many political observers and citizens have questioned why such actions were tolerated and why the law was not enforced when the potential for violence was already known.
The Samajwadi Party has described these incidents as targeted attacks against the Dalit community and political intimidation. Akhilesh Yadav has alleged that Karni Sena operates with tacit support from the BJP, and that the threats and violence are being allowed under the current regime.
Social media users have also reacted strongly to the visuals of the rally. Several users questioned whether other groups—such as protesting farmers or students—would have been allowed to behave similarly without police action. Some commentators have called the event an open challenge to law and order in Uttar Pradesh, especially in light of the Supreme Court’s recent critical remarks on the deteriorating situation in the state.
