Nikola, the electric-truck manufacturer, announced on Friday that its Chief Financial Officer, Anastasiya Pasterick, will be stepping down from her position to pursue new opportunities.
This move comes less than a year after she took over the role in March of this year, following the departure of Kim Brady.
Kim Brady had played a pivotal role in Nikola’s journey by facilitating its merger with a blank-check firm in 2020, which led to the company going public.
Nikola is actively engaged in the search for a new CFO, and they anticipate finalizing the selection soon.
In the meantime, Anastasiya Pasterick will assist with a smooth transition until December 1st.
During this transition period, key financial leaders within the company will report directly to CEO Stephen Girsky.
This development follows closely on the heels of other leadership changes at Nikola, with Stephen Girsky becoming the company’s fourth CEO in just four years.
He assumed the role immediately after the departure of Michael Lohscheller.
Despite ongoing uncertainty in the automotive industry, driven by economic concerns, there is still a strong demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States.
However, notable EV manufacturers like Tesla and Ford have made adjustments to their factory expansion plans in response to these economic challenges.
Nikola faced its share of setbacks as well, reporting a wider loss for the third quarter.
This was due to the suspension of sales and the recall of all 209 of its battery-electric heavy-duty trucks.
The recall was prompted by an investigation that revealed a coolant leak inside the battery packs, leading to fires in the company’s vehicles.
The news of Anastasiya Pasterick’s resignation had an impact on Nikola’s stock, causing it to drop as much as 2% in extended trading.
As the company navigates these leadership changes and addresses the challenges it faces, investors and industry observers will be closely watching its progress in the dynamic electric vehicle market.