Electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLA) has awarded its chief financial officer (CFO) Vaibhav Taneja a record $139 million U.S. pay package.
The pay given to Taneja is more than most CEOs receive, and the highest amount ever paid to a CFO, according to Equilar, a company that tracks compensation among senior managers at publicly traded companies.
The pay package awarded to Tesla’s CFO surpasses the $86 million U.S. awarded to hydrogen-truck maker Nikola’s CFO in 2020. Nikola filed for bankruptcy earlier this year.
Taneja’s compensation is largely tied to stock options and equity awards he received in October 2024. The 47-year-old has held other financial roles at Tesla since 2017.
News of Taneja’s compensation comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues to work without a paycheck. Tesla’s board has formed a special committee to review Musk’s compensation.
His pay has been tied up in legal wrangling since a multibillion-dollar stock grant awarded to him by Tesla’s board of directors was voided by a judge after shareholders filed a lawsuit.
The automaker is appealing the court decision regarding Musk’s pay. Taneja’s stock awards vest, or become his property, in 2028.
The CFO’s pay was awarded during a period of volatility at Tesla.
While the stock has risen following the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, Tesla’s electric vehicle deliveries fell during this year’s first quarter for the first time in a decade.
Tesla’s stock has declined 11% this year to trade at $339.34 U.S.
