Tesla's Board Discredits CEO Speculation; Musk Attacks 'Misleading Publication'
Tesla Denies CEO Succession Plans Amidst Reports of Search
Contrary to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report, Tesla's board of directors has denied any plans to seek a new CEO to replace Elon Musk. The denial, issued via Tesla's official X account on August 18, 2025, comes in response to an article that suggested the board had contacted recruitment firms to begin a CEO search [2][5].
The denial comes as a surprise, given that the board recently approved a massive $29 billion pay package for Musk, designed to retain him as CEO and keep him focused on Tesla’s strategic pivot toward AI, robotics, and robotaxis. The deal requires Musk to remain in a senior executive role for at least two more years and hold the stock until 2030, reflecting the board's intent to keep Musk at the helm [1][3][4].
Elon Musk himself expressed concern about the WSJ's failure to include an unequivocal denial from the Tesla board before publishing the article. He accused the WSJ of publishing a deliberately false article about Tesla’s CEO search [6].
The WSJ article cited concerns about Musk's divided focus across multiple companies and Tesla’s competitive challenges in the EV market as reasons for the potential CEO search. However, the board is highly confident in Musk's ability to continue executing on the growth plan ahead [7].
As of writing, the links to the WSJ and Reuters articles about Tesla’s CEO search are no longer available on the web [8]. Elon Musk reposted the denial statement from Tesla’s X account, further confirming the denial [9].
In summary, Tesla's board of directors has denied reports of a CEO succession plan, and they remain committed to keeping Elon Musk as CEO for the near future.
References: 1. Tesla Approves $29 Billion Elon Musk Pay Package 2. Tesla Board Denies CEO Search Amidst WSJ Report 3. Tesla Boosts Elon Musk's Pay Package to $56 Billion 4. Tesla's Elon Musk to Remain CEO Under New $29 Billion Pay Package 5. Tesla Denies WSJ Report of CEO Search 6. Elon Musk Accuses WSJ of Publishing False Article About Tesla's CEO Search 7. Tesla Board Confident in Elon Musk's Ability to Execute Growth Plan 8. WSJ and Reuters Articles on Tesla's CEO Search No Longer Available 9. Elon Musk Reposts Tesla's Denial of CEO Search
Despite Tesla's board issuing a denial regarding any CEO succession plans, there are ongoing discussions about the strategic role of technology in Tesla's business, particularly in AI, robotics, and robotaxis, which are central to the company's future financial growth.
Elon Musk's $29 billion pay package, designed to keep him focused on Tesla's technological pivot, underscores the board's intent to maintain his leadership in the face of market competition and potential distractions.
