Elon Musk has been the face of Tesla for twenty years as an investor and CEO — but when shareholders do not approve his multi-billion greenback compensation bundle subsequent week, issues might change.
Robyn Denholm, chairperson of Tesla’s board, despatched stockholders a letter on Wednesday urging them to approve Musk’s proposed $56 billion pay on the firm’s annual assembly on June 13.
The compensation bundle, which might be the highest in U.S. company historical past, was “clearly not in regards to the cash,” Denholm wrote.
Associated: Tesla to Shareholders: Approve CEO Musk’s Record-High Pay
As an alternative, Denholm framed the problem as a method to incentivize Musk to maintain specializing in Tesla.
“If Tesla is to retain Elon’s consideration and encourage him to proceed to commit his time, power, ambition and imaginative and prescient to ship comparable outcomes sooner or later, we should stand by our deal,” Denholm wrote.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Picture by Christian Marquardt – Pool/Getty Photos
Musk’s pay bundle was first permitted by shareholders in 2018 and hinged on Musk main Tesla to realize a collection of income, market cap, and operational milestones.
One aim, for instance, was rising Tesla’s market cap by virtually $600 billion.
Associated: Elon Musk: Tesla Robotaxi Is Arriving in August
Musk hit the targets and might need obtained his reward earlier this 12 months — however there was a authorized concern. A Delaware decide overturned the pay bundle in January, calling it “an unfathomable sum” and wrote that “the proxy assertion inaccurately described key administrators as unbiased and misleadingly omitted particulars in regards to the course of.”
Now Tesla is making an attempt to maneuver its authorized dwelling from Delaware to Texas and asking shareholders to approve Musk’s pay once more.
The 2 issues will probably be up for vote at Tesla’s annual assembly.
The instructed pay would put Musk properly forward of different CEOs. A Monday study from the Related Press confirmed that the highest-paid CEO of a public S&P 500 final 12 months was Broadcom’s Hock E. Tan.
Associated: How Much Are CEOs Paid? Highest Chief Executive Pay Packages
Tan’s compensation final 12 months, together with base wage, bonuses, and inventory awards, was price about $162 million.
Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner was third on the record with an general compensation of $63 million and Netflix CEO Theodore A. Sarandos was fifth, incomes practically $50 million.
Musk additionally owns X, previously Twitter, and leads SpaceX, Neuralink, and the Boring Company.