Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer, has attracted widespread attention after it was revealed that he earned $139 million in 2024, a figure that puts him ahead of other major tech leaders like Google’s Sundar Pichai and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella in terms of compensation.
While Sundar Pichai earned $10.73 million from Alphabet, and Satya Nadella received $79.1 million from Microsoft, Taneja’s pay stood out not because of his salary alone but due to the large share of stock-based rewards he received.
Most of Taneja’s Earnings Came from Stock Options
According to financial experts, Taneja’s huge compensation wasn’t limited to a fixed salary. His base salary was $400,000 (around ₹3.33 crore). The remaining amount primarily came from stock options and equity rewards tied to Tesla’s performance. When these stock benefits were granted, Tesla shares were priced at $250.
Tax expert Dhruv Janssen-Sanghavi explained that Taneja’s actual cash salary was $303,864 for 2024. He added, “The other elements included an equity award and equity options. The value of these stocks on the day on which he acquires them over and above the discounted price he must pay for them would also count as his remuneration.”
From Delhi University to Tesla CFO
Vaibhav Taneja, 47, studied Commerce at Delhi University, graduating in 1999. He became a chartered accountant in 2000 and later a certified public accountant in 2006. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he worked for 17 years across India and the U.S.
Taneja moved to Tesla after SolarCity, the company he was working for, was bought by Elon Musk in 2016. He started as assistant corporate controller and quickly climbed the ranks.
By 2019, he became chief accounting officer, and in 2023, he took over as CFO, following the departure of Zach Kirkhorn. Tesla’s decision to promote him was in line with its preference for internal leadership rather than external hires.
A Strong Link to India
Taneja has also been closely involved in Tesla’s India plans. In January 2021, he was named a director of Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd, showing his influence in shaping the company’s activities in the Indian market.
He is the second Indian-origin executive to serve as Tesla’s CFO. Deepak Ahuja, who held the post before him, worked from 2017 to 2019 before moving to Verily Life Sciences. Ahuja is now the CFO at Zipline, a U.S.-based drone delivery company.
Praised for Calm Leadership Style
Those who’ve worked with Taneja describe him as grounded and practical. Manuj Khurana, a former Tesla executive and now Vice President at Ather Energy, recalled working with him when Taneja was Tesla’s chief accounting officer.
“He was always very calm, collected and grounded and had absolutely no airs. His approach was always very practical and that is something that is extremely necessary in a place like Tesla where things can change overnight. His rise is very much a function of his ability as well as Tesla’s meritocratic culture,” Khurana said.
Redefining the Indian Executive Role
Taneja’s rise has sparked conversations about Indian-origin professionals succeeding in top global roles outside traditional tech paths. Unlike Pichai and Nadella, who come from engineering backgrounds, Taneja has a finance and commerce education, proving that business and leadership skills are just as valued in global companies.
