Tesla’s Business Development Chief Quits

Long-time Tesla Inc. executive Diarmuid O’Connell, who joined the company in 2006, has redesigned as vice president of business development.

O’Connell’s responsibilities have been turned over to Jon McNeill, the company’s president of global sales and service.

O’Connell, 53, joined Tesla before the company had introduced its now-discontinued Roadster. He has commuted to is job at Tesla in California from his home in Aspen, Colo., and according to the company wants to spend more time with his family.

He has led Tesla’s state-by-state effort to win the right to sell cars direct frim the factory rather than through a conventional network of independent dealers. The company is still blocked from operating in several states, including Michigan and Texas.

O’Connell is the most recent of several top managers to leave the electric carmaker as it transitions from a boutique operator to the high-volume production of the $35,00 Model 3 sedan. Other departures this year have included the company’s chief financial officer (Jason Wheeler in April), head of battery technology (Kurt Kelly in August) and the leader of the Autopilot software unit (Chris Lattner in June).