Full Bio J.B. Maverick is an active trader, commodity futures broker, and stock market analyst 17+ years of experience, in addition to 10+ years of experience as a finance writer and book editor. Learn about our Tesla lists three leadership executives on its website: Elon Musk, Vaibhav Taneja, and Tom Zhu. Musk is the CEO of Tesla, a position he's held since 2008. Vaibhav Taneja is the company's chief financial officer. Tom Zhu is senior vice president of automotive. Past leadership executives include Zachary Kirkhorn, Andrew Baglino, Deepak Ahuja, JB Straubel, and Jerome Guillen. Elon Musk Elon Musk is the co-founder, chief executive officer (CEO), director, product architect, and unquestionably the primary driving force at Tesla. Musk, who was born in South Africa and later moved to the U.S. to chase greater economic opportunities and escape apartheid, is also the founder and CEO of SpaceX and the owner of X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Musk holds a bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and considers himself both an engineer and inventor. His previous entrepreneurial success includes being one of the co-founders of payment-processing company PayPal (PYPL). Musk is known for his bold ideas and is considered one of the greatest innovators on the planet. He has also attracted controversy for his occasional eccentric behavior. Musk is the face of Tesla, but he didn't create the company. He joined as an investor in its early days, later gained control, and has since been credited as a co-founder. Vaibhav Taneja Vaibhav Taneja is in charge of Tesla’s finances. He was appointed chief financial officer (CFO) of Tesla in August 2023, taking over from Zachary J. Kirkhorn, a popular figure who was once viewed as a possible successor to Elon Musk as CEO. Taneja, a Delhi University–trained certified public accountant, joined Tesla in 2016 after it acquired the company he was working for: SolarCity. He led the accounting team integration, eventually became corporate controller, and was then promoted to head of accounting in 2019. Prior to joining SolarCity, where he served in various finance and accounting roles, Taneja spent nearly 17 years at top four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Not much else is known about Taneja. Unlike Musk, the man known internally as “VT” is said to keep a low profile. Tom Zhu The other leadership executive listed on Tesla’s website is Tom Zhu. Zhu’s current job title is senior vice president of automotive, which is a position he’s held since April 2023 and requires him to oversee global production, sales, deliveries, service, and the company’s factories. Prior to that, he was based in China, where he was in charge of Tesla’s Asia Pacific operations. Zhu, who holds a bachelor’s degree of commerce in information technology from the Auckland University of Technology and an M.B.A. from Duke University, joined Tesla in 2014 and quickly moved up the ranks. He is said to wield significant influence at the company and be widely respected by staff there. Zhu is considered Musk’s right-hand man and second in charge and described by the media as “pragmatic,” “industrious,” and “a workaholic.” Among other things, he has been credited for spearheading the company’s success in China, his native country and Tesla’s biggest international market. Who Has Majority Control of Tesla? Elon Musk is the biggest shareholder of Tesla. He owns just over 22% of the company. The second biggest holder is Vanguard, which holds 7% of the total shares outstanding. Who Is the Chair of Tesla? The current chair of the board at Tesla is Robyn Denholm. Denholm has held this position since 2018 and is known for keeping a low profile. She has been applauded for helping to turn Tesla into one of the world's most valuable automakers. However, Denholm also has her critics. Over the years, she has been criticized for not keeping Elon Musk in check and for her big salary. Who Is Second in Command at Tesla? Tom Zhu is viewed as second in command to Musk at Tesla. He has a wide remit across the company and deputizes for Musk when he is away. The Bottom Line There have been a lot of changes at Tesla over the years, including at the top. The only long-serving executive leader at the company is Musk. The other leading positions were filled in 2023. Musk and his old colleagues succeeded in turning Tesla into a serious player in the electric vehicle space and helping to revolutionize the auto industry. Now, alongside his latest right-hand men, Taneja and Zhu, he must fight off competition while remaining profitable and successfully pivoting into new growth areas. 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