Tesla is undergoing a significant leadership change in its Canadian operations. Fereshteh Zeineddin, who has guided the company’s sales and delivery strategy in Canada for nearly a decade, has stepped away from her role after nine years with the automaker.
While her departure has not been publicly announced, and her LinkedIn profile has not yet been updated, a source inside the company has confirmed with Drive Tesla she has left her role last week.
Widely regarded as one of Tesla’s most influential figures in the Canadian market, Zeineddin joined Tesla in 2016, when the company’s Canadian presence was still relatively small. Her initial position in the company was the Regional Sales Manager for the Pacific Northwest, a role that oversaw sales in both the U.S. and Canada.
As Tesla gained traction and grew in popularity, she rose quickly through the ranks, ultimately becoming Director of Sales and Service for Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and Northwest U.S. in 2023, helping Tesla become one of Canada’s best-selling automotive brands
During her tenure, Zeineddin was a key player in scaling Tesla’s delivery model and establishing new Service Centers across the country, including the first location on Vancouver Island and the company’s largest purpose-built site in North America in Vancouver, B.C.
She also became Tesla Canada’s public face in dealings with regulators and policymakers. Earlier this year, she wrote a letter during a high-profile dispute with the federal government after more than $43 million in iZEV rebates were frozen pending the results of an investigation into the validity of the claims. Tesla was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
Just three months ago, Zeineddin reflected on her Tesla journey in a LinkedIn post marking her ninth anniversary with the company.
“Today marks 9 years since I joined Tesla, and what a journey it’s been,” she wrote. “My reason for joining was the desire to be part of building something that would make the world a better place for generations to come. The reason why I stay is the incredible people I get to work with day in and day out. To my team and everyone I have the pleasure of working with — thank you for being incredible humans that make this work fun and worth doing. Building the best team doesn’t just drive top results — it’s the ultimate retention and loyalty strategy.”
For nearly a decade, Zeineddin’s leadership helped shape Tesla’s Canadian identity. From scaling operations to navigating regulatory hurdles, she played a central role in bringing the company’s mission to a broader customer base and growing the brand into one of the country’s best-selling automotive companies. Her exit marks the end of an important chapter for Tesla in Canada, and attention now turns to who will take on the task of steering the company as it battles declining sales north of the border.
