Syed Saif Ul Hassan 
Nov 06, 2025
Elon Musk attends the opening ceremony of the new Tesla Gigafactory for electric cars in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022. — Reuters
In an overwhelming move anticipated to make Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire, Tesla's board of directors has placed a monumental bet on Musk, proposing a staggering pay package that could reach up to £878 billion (about $1.1 trillion) in company stock.
It also emerged that shareholders will vote on this controversial plan, which hinges on Musk's ability to transform Tesla into a leader in artificial intelligence (AI), promising the rollout of millions of self-driving robotaxis and humanoid robots.
If Musk succeeds in bringing about ambitious performance targets laid out by the board within a decade, Tesla's market value could rise to £8.5 trillion, with Musk potentially owning a quarter of the company, Reuters reported.
Musk's record-breaking compensation package has sparked a debate over corporate governance, with some investors raising concerns about the risks involved.
Critics are lamenting that the proposal undermines traditional governance principles by placing excessive power in the hands of Musk, the world's wealthiest individual.
Major shareholders, including significant public pension funds, also expressed their opposition, warning that such a deal could dilute shareholder value and lead to a dangerous reliance on a single leader.
Despite the growing concerns and opposition, some investors expressed optimism, believing that if Musk can deliver on his vision, the potential rewards would outpace the risks.
