Tesla is exploring internal CEO candidates if Elon Musk departs, Bloomberg reported, following uncertainty over a $1 trillion pay plan.
Chair Robyn Denholm urged shareholders to approve Musk’s compensation, aiming to retain the billionaire as Tesla focuses on robotics and self-driving.
Musk’s central role underscores Tesla’s identity and investor confidence, even as the automaker faces pressure to reduce reliance on its founder.
The proposed package would grant Musk 12 tranches of stock options, contingent on achieving lofty goals in market value and autonomous technology.
Tesla has seen numerous senior departures, leaving a shallow management bench with CFO Vaibhav Taneja and SVP Tom Zhu as top executives.
The stakes for next week’s shareholder meeting highlight a tension between ambition and governance, shaping Tesla’s future direction amid investor scrutiny.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on its leadership planning and executive compensation.