ANOSH SETHNA
ENGINEERING BUSINESS OPERATIONS TEAM
I joined Tesla's Engineering Business Operations Team as an Analyst shortly after graduating from Duke with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. The role offered a unique opportunity to combine technical engineering skills with decision-driving business strategy analyses.
I worked closely with the Design Engineering and Supply Chain teams to develop financial analyses that drove sourcing, engineering design, cost reduction, and budgeting decisions. I specifically acted as the business operations lead for the Chassis, Autopilot, Infotainment, Low Voltage Electronics, and Vehicle Test engineering teams - working closely with engineering managers across each group.
As a senior member of the Engineering Business Operations Team, my responsibilities expanded beyond the list of teams outlined above. I was the defacto business operations representative for the Model S sedan. I provided financial analysis support during weekly program reviews to help prioritize and evaluate proposed product changes and inform timeline decisions.
Additionally, I led full vehicle-level cost reduction meetings on a bi-weekly basis, focused on improving the profitability of the Model S and Model X vehicle programs. These cross-functional reviews were critical in driving high-level product decisions and were regularly attended by the CFO, VP of Engineering, VP of Programs, VP of Supply Chain, and other leaders across the company.
VALUE ADDED
Regularly presented to company leadership across the Engineering, Supply Chain, Program Management, Finance, and Accounting organizations
Built a touchscreen cost model for the upcoming Model III sedan that was reviewed together with our CEO
Built and presented a vehicle-encompassing material cost trajectory to drive the implementation of over $40MM in annual material cost reduction projects
Promoted to Senior Analyst after less than 2 years on the Business Operations team
LEAVING FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL
My motivation to pursue a Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering after working on the Business Operations team for 2 years was rooted in a desire for design engineering. My role at Tesla, although extremely engaging and rewarding, was too far removed from the technical engineering design skills that I honed as an undergraduate. It has become exceedingly clear to me that the field of design engineering has developed a strong intrinsic value. It is for this reason that I chose to pursue a Master of Engineering degree at UC Berkeley.