Who could replace Elon Musk if he quits Tesla?

Elon Musk has once again set the internet on fire with yet another high-stakes ultimatum. 

The Tesla CEO has warned that he may walk away from the automobile company he built unless shareholders approve his $1 trillion compensation package, the largest in corporate history.

The showdown is set for November 6, when Tesla’s shareholders will cast their votes in a meeting that could define not only Musk’s future at Tesla but the company’s next decade.

The proposal ties Musk’s pay to nearly impossible milestones: pushing Tesla’s market value to $8.5 trillion, producing 12 million EVs, rolling out one million Optimus humanoid robots, and generating $400 billion in annual earnings by 2035.

If approved, Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire, but if rejected, he’s hinted that he might focus instead on SpaceX, xAI, or X (formerly Twitter).

Musk has also urged shareholders worldwide to cast their votes ahead of this highly anticipated annual shareholder meeting.

Tesla’s internal lineup

Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm has said that if Musk steps away, the company is ready for an “orderly transition” and most likely from within.

Leading the list is Tom Zhu, Tesla’s hard-charging global production chief credited with building the Shanghai Gigafactory and scaling operations worldwide.

Close behind is Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s CFO, whose deep financial knowledge and operational insight make him a natural stabilizer if Musk leaves.

Another name in the list is Omead Afshar, Musk’s former chief of staff and the man behind Tesla’s Austin Gigafactory, known for his sharp execution skills.

External candidates

If Tesla looks outside, Tesla’s co-founder and ex-CTO, JB Straubel, could return as a steadying force.

Others include Rivian’s RJ Scaringe, known for his engineering finesse, or former Waymo and Hyundai North America boss, John Krafcik, whose experience in autonomous driving could be invaluable.

Whether Musk is bluffing or dead serious remains anyone’s guess, but one thing is for sure: Tesla’s November 6 meeting could become the biggest corporate cliffhanger Silicon Valley has ever seen.