Tesla Offers Elon Musk an Unprecedented Compensation Deal

The board of directors of Tesla proposes to grant its CEO Elon Musk a record compensation, conditioned on a surge in the automaker’s stock valuation. A ten-year plan that could offer him up to 12% of the capital. All the details below !

An unprecedented plan for Elon Musk linked to stock performance

Tesla has just unveiled a project for an exceptional compensation plan for its founder and CEO, Elon Musk. This could allow him to receive up to 1,000 billion dollars over ten years, provided that the company’s capitalization reaches 8,500 billion dollars.

For many observers, this is an astronomical target estimated at more than eight times Tesla’s current value.

Concretely, the mechanism is based on the granting of shares linked to the company’s valuation with intermediate thresholds. The first is set at 2,000 billion dollars of capitalization, then others will follow up to the set ceiling.

The plan mainly aims to retain Musk at the head of Tesla in a context of slowing electric vehicle sales. Added to this are increased competition as well as a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence and robotics.

Huge financial and strategic stakes

This compensation plan marks a spectacular break compared to the previous 2018 program, valued at 56 billion dollars. It was canceled in 2024 by Delaware courts for misleading information, despite two favorable shareholder votes. Since then, Tesla has moved its headquarters to Texas, allowing it to bypass certain local legal constraints.

The company is now placing all its hopes on Musk to lead its transformation. Above all, the record compensation also highlights Tesla’s strategic dependence on its founder.

A debate on governance and risks

Immediately announced, the Tesla plan project already evokes mixed reactions. Some see it as a way to align Elon Musk’s interests with Tesla’s long-term performance. Others denounce a “ridiculously high” compensation. Especially since Tesla recently endured losses of about 657 million dollars.

These critics highlight :

• the risks of shareholder dilution ;
• the complexity of the goals ;
• Elon Musk’s growing political influence.

If the plan materializes, the executive’s stake could even rise to 25% of the capital. Enough to strengthen his dominance over the company. This also raises questions about Tesla’s governance.

The shareholders’ vote of Tesla, scheduled for November, will determine if this extraordinary bet will take shape. Until then, it will be necessary to closely follow the progress of the procedure and Musk’s statements.