At Tesla’s annual shareholder assembly, Musk mentioned that Tesla would promote its vehicles, one thing it had by no means accomplished earlier than.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has warned that the electrical automobile maker just isn’t proof against the worldwide financial atmosphere, which he says can be difficult over the subsequent 12 months.
On the firm’s annual shareholder assembly Tuesday in Austin, Texas, Musk spoke in regards to the demand for vehicles, making extra money than rivals in a sluggish economic system, and mentioned he would conduct a third-party audit of the cobalt mines that provide Tesla with a key manufacturing ingredient. batteries.
Musk mentioned it was an indication of arduous occasions even for Tesla, the market chief in electrical automobiles, the corporate will attempt to promote its vehicles, which it has not accomplished earlier than.
“Tesla just isn’t immune from the worldwide financial scenario. I anticipate issues to be troublesome on a macroeconomic degree for at the very least the subsequent 12 months,” mentioned the billionaire, casually wearing a black T-shirt and trousers.
On the assembly, shareholders voted to nominate co-founder and former chief expertise officer J. B. Strobel to the board of administrators. Proxy advisory agency Glass Lewis urged traders to vote towards Strobel’s appointment, citing considerations about his independence.
Additionally they turned down a proposal to launch a report that attempted to ascertain Musk’s succession plans.
Musk has been pressured to allay investor considerations a few lack of a transparent successor, declining demand and delays in some new fashions, and his involvement with social media platform Twitter, which he purchased in October.
“There was a quick distraction as a result of I needed to bear main open-heart surgical procedure on Twitter to make sure the corporate’s survival,” Musk mentioned Tuesday. He introduced final week that Linda Iaccarino, former head of promoting for NBCUniversal media, would succeed him as Twitter CEO and deal with the corporate’s merchandise and expertise.
Musk mentioned in April that Tesla would prioritize gross sales development over earnings after it missed its margin goal as a result of aggressive value cuts.
On Monday, Musk emailed workers that the corporate cannot rent new workers until he personally approves them, together with contractors, and requested executives to “consider carefully” earlier than submitting hiring requests.
Tesla shareholders on Tuesday shortly voted in favor of the board’s suggestions on nearly all the proposals. The assembly was attended by shareholders who gained invites to the lottery and was additionally broadcast dwell.
Tesla shares closed unchanged at $166.52 on Tuesday and rose 0.6 p.c after hours. Shares are down about 60 p.c from their all-time excessive in November 2021 as Musk turned distracted by Twitter and fears declining demand for electrical automobiles.
succession
Strobel, who’s the CEO of Redwood Supplies, a battery and supplies recycling firm, is seen as a possible successor to Musk, in accordance with Gene Munster, managing associate at Deepwater Asset Administration.
Shareholders additionally voted to re-elect Musk and Chairman Robin Denholm as board members.
Proxy advisory agency ISS beneficial a vote towards Denholm, citing considerations about lack of management over the usage of Tesla shares as collateral for loans by Musk and his brother Kimbal.
Buyers voted towards the publication of the Key-Individual Threat report. The proposal sought to establish key individuals and develop succession plans.
Musk mentioned eventually 12 months’s shareholder assembly that he would stick with the automaker for so long as it was helpful. In November, Tesla CEO James Murdoch examined in court docket that Musk had named somebody as a possible successor.
Tesla board members have mentioned CFO Zach Kirkhorn as a attainable CEO, the Wall Road Journal reported final week, citing a supply acquainted with the matter.
