Meet Vaibhav Taneja, Elon Musk-led Tesla’s Indian-origin CFO, who earns more than Sundar Pichai & Satya Nadella
Tesla, the electric vehicle and energy company led by Elon Musk, has drawn attention to its chief financial officer, Vaibhav Taneja, an Indian-origin executive who has earned a substantial annual compensation package. Taneja, 47, has become a focal point in the business world after his pay details were made public, highlighting his significant role within the company.
Taneja’s total compensation for 2024 amounted to $139 million, surpassing the earnings of top executives from Microsoft and Google, including Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai. While Nadella received $79.1 million and Pichai earned $10.73 million from their respective companies, Taneja’s remuneration is notably higher, reflecting his critical position at Tesla.
Experts note that Taneja’s $139 million package includes not only his base salary but also equity awards and performance-based incentives. His base salary at Tesla is $400,000, with the majority of his compensation derived from stock options and equity linked to the company’s performance. When the equity benefits were realized, Tesla’s stock price reached $250, contributing to the total figure.
Who is Vaibhav Taneja?
Taneja holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University, completed his chartered accountancy in 2000, and became a certified public accountant in 2006. Before joining Tesla in 2017, he spent 17 years at PwC, working in both India and the United States.
Since joining Tesla, Taneja has steadily risen through the ranks. He became the chief accounting officer in 2019 and was appointed chief financial officer in 2023, overseeing the company’s global financial operations. His tenure as CFO spans over two years, during which he has played a key role in Tesla’s India-focused initiatives.
In January 2021, Taneja was appointed as a director for Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd, the company’s Indian subsidiary. Following the resignation of Zach Kirkhorn, Taneja took on the CFO role, which was considered a natural progression within Tesla’s internal promotion strategy.
Taneja is not the first Indian-origin executive to hold a high-ranking position at Tesla. Deepak Ahuja previously served as CFO from 2017 to 2019 before moving to Verily Life Sciences. Currently, Ahuja is the CFO of Zipline, a drone delivery company.
Manuj Khurana, a vice president at Ather Energy, who worked with Tesla from 2020 to 2022, described Taneja as a calm, composed, and grounded individual. He emphasized Taneja’s practical approach, which is essential in a company like Tesla, where rapid changes are common. Khurana noted that Taneja’s rise is a result of both his abilities and Tesla’s meritocratic culture.
Taneja’s impressive career trajectory has sparked discussions about the potential of Indian-origin executives to excel in leading organizations, particularly in roles that do not necessarily require engineering qualifications, unlike many prominent tech leaders such as Pichai and Nadella.