Vaibhav Taneja
TeslaAbout Vaibhav Taneja
Vaibhav Taneja is Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), age 47, serving in the role since August 2023. He previously held senior finance leadership positions at Tesla, including Chief Accounting Officer (March 2019–August 2023), Corporate Controller (May 2018–March 2019), and Assistant Corporate Controller (February 2017–May 2018), and earlier served in finance and accounting roles at SolarCity starting March 2016. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) . During his tenure as CFO, Tesla reported 2024 highlights including Model Y as the global best-selling vehicle, lowest average cost per vehicle under $35,000, 31.4 GWh energy storage (+113.3% YoY), and expanded deployment of FSD (Supervised) alongside introduction of the Cybercab Robotaxi concept . Shareholders approved 2024 executive compensation (say‑on‑pay) by a wide margin in June 2024, signaling support for Tesla’s pay-for-performance philosophy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2023–present | Senior finance leadership; signatory for Texas redomestication filings as CFO, evidencing oversight of corporate finance processes |
| Tesla | Chief Accounting Officer | Mar 2019–Aug 2023 | Led accounting and reporting amid scale-up across vehicles and energy |
| Tesla | Corporate Controller | May 2018–Mar 2019 | Corporate reporting and controls |
| Tesla | Assistant Corporate Controller | Feb 2017–May 2018 | Assisted corporate accounting leadership |
| SolarCity | Finance/Accounting Roles | Mar 2016 onward | Supported integration into Tesla energy operations |
External Roles
No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Mr. Taneja .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $275,000 | $400,000 (adjusted Oct 2024) |
| Target Bonus % | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | $0 | $0 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | $3,000 | $3,000 |
Performance Compensation
Tesla emphasizes equity-heavy, at-risk pay for NEOs; since 2020 awards primarily use stock options with value contingent on share price appreciation. In 2024, approximately 80% of Mr. Taneja’s equity grant was stock options and 20% RSUs; Tesla does not pay cash bonuses to NEOs and uses performance- or time-based vesting on equity awards .
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity (Options; 2024 program) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 939,887 options granted on 10/31/2024; exercise price $249.85; grant date FV $112,837,194 | Per award terms; options vest over time and/or upon specified performance objectives (see Outstanding Awards footnotes) |
| Equity (RSUs; 2024 program) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | 104,610 RSUs granted on 10/31/2024; grant date FV $26,136,809 | RSUs vest over time; 6,538 vested in 2024 (value $2,415,726) |
2024 Grants Detail
| Grant Date | Award Type | Number of Units | Exercise Price ($/sh) | Grant Date Fair Value ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/31/2024 | Options | 939,887 | $249.85 | $112,837,194 |
| 10/31/2024 | RSUs | 104,610 | — | $26,136,809 |
2024 Realization
| 2024 Activity | Shares | Value ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Options Exercised | 35,000 | $9,653,338 |
| RSUs Vested | 6,538 | $2,415,726 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 1,251,002; less than 1% of outstanding |
| Shares Outstanding (reference) | 3,325,150,886 (as of 9/15/2025) |
| Options Exercisable (12/31/2024) | 19,614 (10/31/2024 grant, $249.85, exp. 10/31/2034) |
| Options Unexercisable (12/31/2024) | 921,873 (10/31/2024 grant, $249.85, exp. 10/31/2034) |
| Other Option Positions | 154,095 ($143.61; exp. 10/19/2030) ; 764,245 ($18.22; exp. 4/19/2029) ; 10,575 ($18.44; exp. 10/16/2028) ; 13,860 ($21.03; exp. 11/13/2027) |
| Unvested RSUs (12/31/2024) | 98,072 (market value $39,605,396 at $403.84) |
| Hedging Policy | Prohibits hedging, short sales, and derivative transactions on Tesla securities by directors/officers/employees |
| Pledging Policy | Board amended pledging policy in 2024–2025; stricter limits for CEO and lowered allowable borrowing against pledged shares for other officers/directors to 15% of pledged stock value (no individual pledging by Taneja disclosed) |
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | NEOs required to own Tesla shares equal to at least 6× base salary; compliance assessed within 5 years and then annually; NEOs/directors currently compliant or within grace period |
Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Fiscal Year-End (Taneja)
| Grant Date | Exercisable | Unexercisable | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/31/2024 | 19,614 | 921,873 | 249.85 | 10/31/2034 |
| 10/19/2020 | 154,095 | — | 143.61 | 10/19/2030 |
| 4/19/2019 | 764,245 | — | 18.22 | 4/19/2029 |
| 10/16/2018 | 10,575 | — | 18.44 | 10/16/2028 |
| 11/13/2017 | 13,860 | — | 21.03 | 11/13/2027 |
| RSUs (10/31/2024) | Unvested: 98,072 units (market value $39,605,396) | — | — | — |
Notes: Some historical options incorporate performance-based vesting mechanics (e.g., tranches vesting upon achievement of specified company performance objectives) in addition to service-based schedules .
Employment Terms
- Employment agreement and severance: As of December 31, 2024, Tesla reported no employment agreement for a specific term with any NEO, and no severance or change-in-control cash arrangements—Tesla does not provide severance multiples to NEOs .
- Change-of-control equity treatment: Under the Amended & Restated 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, if a Change in Control occurs and awards are not assumed or substituted, unvested options/RSUs would fully vest (performance awards deemed achieved at 100% of target), unless specified otherwise in an award agreement .
- Clawback policy: Tesla maintains a clawback policy in compliance with Nasdaq and Exchange Act Section 10D; applies to current/former executive officers and requires recoupment of incentive compensation for restatements regardless of misconduct .
- Insider trading: Prohibits hedging/short sales by insiders; requires adherence to securities laws; includes post-vesting six‑month lock-up for NEOs on sales of shares acquired through equity awards, enhancing alignment and reducing near-term selling pressure .
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: Taneja’s pay is overwhelmingly equity-based (2024 grant date FV: $113.0M options and $26.1M RSUs; no cash bonus), directly tying realized value to Tesla’s stock performance and long-term vesting, in line with Tesla’s pay-for-performance philosophy .
- Selling pressure/overhang: 2024 exercises (35,000 options; $9.65M value realized) and RSU vesting (6,538 shares; $2.42M) indicate routine realization; significant unexercisable options (921,873) and unvested RSUs (98,072) imply future potential supply, but corporate lock-up policies and vesting schedules temper near-term pressure .
- Retention risk: Absence of severance/change-in-control cash protections suggests retention relies on equity incentives and role scope. Stock ownership guidelines (6× salary) and prohibition of hedging/pledging limits (with no Taneja pledges disclosed) support alignment but place emphasis on continued equity value creation .
- Execution credibility: CFO tenure coincides with operational and financial progress in 2024 (cost reductions, energy storage growth, FSD deployment). Strong shareholder support for executive compensation (2024 say‑on‑pay approval) reduces governance overhang related to NEO pay .