Tesla Inc's China chief Tom Zhu has been promoted to head the electric carmaker’s US assembly plants and sales operations in North America and Europe.

This move makes Zhu the highest-profile Tesla executive after Elon Musk, according to Thomson Reuters.

The same report revealed that Tesla's posting showed that Zhu's title of vice president for Greater China had not changed. He is retaining his responsibilities as Tesla's most senior executive for sales in the rest of Asia as of Tuesday.