Yes, Eric Tao exits Industry in Season 4 Episode 6 in one of the most shocking developments of the HBO drama. All season long Eric and Harper Stern joined forces in SternTao and worked to take down Tender, but Eric slept with an underage prostitute named Dolly who was planted by Whitney as blackmail. The fallout is devastating for both characters.
Ken Leung and Eric Tao have left Industry at the end of the episode, with the final shot showing Ken Leung walking away from the camera down a road as the credits roll to "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell. Eric calls Harper into the office and hands over the entirety of SternTao to Harper, noting that his initial investment of $10 million be placed into a trust for his daughters. The scene is gut-wrenching—Eric can barely speak as he hands everything over to the person he mentored for years.
Ken Leung confirmed that Episode 6 was his final episode on the HBO show, noting that it was his final scene with Myha'la Herrold after six years of working together. Harper is left alone to lead SternTao as it battles the collapsing Tender empire and faces the fallout from Eric's disappearance. The creators noted that Eric's self-knowledge came as a result of sleeping with a 14-year-old, which was not the same type of redemptive story beat as other character exits. Eric's sacrifice is meant to protect Harper from the scandal, but leaves her furious, betrayed, and navigating the final two episodes of the season without her longtime partner.
New episodes of Industry premiere Sundays on HBO and HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET, with the season finale coming March 1, 2026.