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Mohamad, Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Currently Gotion High Tech. Previously Tesla Battery manufacturing : Advize Career Interview
A passion for sustainability and entrepreneurial spirit propelled a career journey from an ASU sustainability degree to Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech, via significant roles at Tesla.
This individual's path showcases a remarkable blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and political savvy, managing multi-billion dollar projects, navigating complex governmental relations, and leading large teams across cultures.
Success stemmed from adaptability, a servant leadership approach, and prioritizing networking and relationship building—skills honed through a concurrent moving business during college and a small career prep class.
The experience highlights the fast-paced, globally connected nature of the battery industry, its crucial role in renewable energy, and the importance of continuous learning and embracing challenges.
The interviewee's journey, marked by overcoming challenges as a first-generation college student from a poor family, is both inspiring and instructive, emphasizing the power of perseverance and seizing every opportunity.
A career in this field demands international travel, cultural adaptability, and a willingness to continuously adapt to evolving technology, but offers immense rewards both professionally and personally.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mohamad Ali Zeitoun
Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing
Currently Gotion High Tech. Previously Tesla Battery manufacturing
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey
None
Business & Related, International Relations & Affairs
Energy and Utilities
Business Strategy
Immigrant
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Career Path Of A Deputy Director Battery Manufacturing At Tesla Gotion
Mohamad's career path, driven by a passion for sustainability, started with a degree in sustainability from ASU, but a lack of immediate job opportunities led Mohamad to entrepreneurship before joining Tesla. This Tesla experience rapidly advanced Mohamad's career, involving management roles in launching several products, including the Model Y and the 4680 battery cell, ultimately culminating in Mohamad's current role as Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech, where they are instrumental in launching a new Gigafactory in the US – "Midway through May, I found a site. By June, we had started speaking to...the politicians involved."
Main Responsibilities Of A Deputy Director Of Battery Manufacturing At Gotion High Tech
Mohamad's role as Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech evolved from production management to encompass a wide range of responsibilities, including "politics," site selection for a "$1.2 billion project," hiring, construction management, and government relations, all while navigating community concerns and liaising with various governmental agencies. This experience, culminating in a newly added focus on technology implementation, showcases a unique career trajectory blending business acumen with significant political and logistical expertise.
A Day In The Life Of A Deputy Director Of Battery Manufacturing At Gotion High Tech
Mohamad's day as a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing begins early, addressing "a hundred emails a day" from various stakeholders before a 9 am board meeting. The remainder of the day involves navigating production floor issues, external relations ("go to the local city hall"), internal team alignment, and addressing project bottlenecks, showcasing the multifaceted nature of a leadership role in large-scale manufacturing.
Most Important Skills For A Deputy Director Of Battery Manufacturing At Tesla
Mohamad, a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing with experience at Tesla and Gotion High Tech, prioritizes "being social and interacting with different people and teams" above technical skills, emphasizing the importance of networking to overcome production bottlenecks. This approach, combined with a servant leadership style and adaptability, allows Mohamad to effectively manage diverse teams and projects, showcasing the power of soft skills in a technical field.
Favorite Parts of Being a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech
Mohamad, Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech, finds the most rewarding aspect of the role to be the collaborative team environment cultivated through servant leadership; a team that is "always ready to do things" and reciprocates his dedication by working together, making even tedious tasks more enjoyable.
Biggest Challenges Faced By a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech
Mohamad's biggest challenge as Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech is adapting to the Chinese culture and language, finding "it difficult to try to get them back onto speaking English" in technical meetings. This cultural and linguistic adjustment, coupled with navigating differing work styles between a US-based approach and the company's methods, presents a significant, yet ultimately productive, learning experience as both sides adapt.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Battery Industry as a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing
Mohamad, Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech, finds the battery industry "amazing" due to its crucial role in renewable energy storage, comparing it to the tech boom of 2000. The focus on safer LFP batteries and battery recycling adds to the excitement of working with "cutting edge battery technology."
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Battery Industry, According To A Tesla Battery Director
Mohamad, a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing with experience at Tesla and Gotion High Tech, emphasizes that success in the battery industry hinges not on prior expertise, but on "the ability to learn and adapt," as battery technology is constantly evolving. He highlights his own journey, demonstrating how a passion for learning and adaptability enabled a career transition and mastery of complex technical details, even those unfamiliar four years prior such as "the difference between LFP and CM solid state battery".
What A Deputy Director Of Battery Manufacturing At Gotion High Tech Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Battery Manufacturing Industry
Mohamad, a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing, unexpectedly discovered the extensive international travel demands of working for a global Chinese company, unlike their previous experience at Tesla. This involved "almost monthly" trips to China and other countries for site selection, business development, and equipment sourcing, a significant contrast to their prior role and a key lesson learned about navigating a global career in the battery manufacturing industry.
Significant Career Lesson From A Battery Manufacturing Deputy Director At Tesla
Mohamad's significant career lesson is to "never say no to any challenge," a strategy that, despite initial skepticism from colleagues, propelled Mohamad's career forward by fostering diverse team involvement and cross-departmental connections. This proactive approach allowed for significant learning and advancement, demonstrating the value of embracing opportunities for growth.
College Experiences That Helped A Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing At Tesla Succeed
Mohamad, Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing at Gotion High Tech, credits their college success to running a moving business concurrently with their studies. This "side hustle" provided real-world experience, allowing them to apply classroom learning directly and develop adaptability, problem-solving skills, and valuable practical knowledge — ultimately leading to a "really, really successful" business and a strong foundation for their impactful career.
How First Generation College Graduate Influenced a Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing Career at Gotion High Tech and Tesla
Mohamad's experience as a first-generation college graduate from a "very poor family" profoundly shaped career choices, with the goal of proving to family that their sacrifices "wasn't for all wasted." This drive fueled a determination to forge a new path, ultimately leading to success in demanding roles at Tesla and Gotion High Tech.
Deputy Director of Battery Manufacturing Career at Tesla and Gotion High Tech
Mohamad's most impactful WP Carey experience was a small career preparation class where the instructor urged the class to create LinkedIn profiles; this seemingly insignificant class proved pivotal, as "everything that I've gotten...even from Tesla and Gotion," stemmed from connections made through the platform, showcasing the power of online professional networking in a career in battery manufacturing.
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