Tesla’s board members have reportedly started a search for someone to replace Elon Musk as CEO.
Several executive search firms were approached to find a successor around a month ago, the Wall Street Journal reported.
But it added that the current status of the succession planning for the electric car-maker was not known.
Tesla’s chair, Robyn Denholm, later reacted to the report by insisting that any suggestion of an active search was “absolutely false”.
She added that the board was highly confident in Musk’s ability to continue “executing on the exciting growth plan ahead”.
Musk’s net worth has plunged and Tesla stocks have fallen sharply amid a public backlash over his role in Donald Trump’s government. He owns just under 13% of Tesla stock and is the largest shareholder.
The world’s richest man has been leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he has overseen the firing of tens of thousands of government employees.
He has also supported far-right parties in Europe, which has led to protests against Musk and Tesla, which have seen its showrooms and charging stations vandalised across the US and Europe.
President Trump has labelled the vandals “terrorists”.
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Musk pulls back from DOGE role
It comes after Musk said the time he spends with DOGE would “drop…
