Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, Twitter and electric car maker, meets French President Emmanuel Macron (L) at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on May 15, 2023.
Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images
Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent an email to “everyone” at his electric car maker on Monday, expressing concern about the company’s current hiring practices.
“I’d like to get a better understanding of our hiring,” Musk wrote in the email. “The vice presidents must send me a list of job applications for their departments once a week.”
Tesla employees read the email as either a simple hiring freeze, or a sign that Musk is renewing his focus on the auto company now that he’s named CEO of Twitter, according to one employee, who asked not to be named to speak frankly.
On Friday, Musk said NBCUniversal’s advertising director Linda Iaccarino will be Twitter’s new CEO, about six months after he bought the social media company for $44 billion.
Last month, Tesla reported a more than 20% drop in net income for the first quarter from the previous year, which contributed to the company’s share price dropping by 10%. Musk indicated at the time that the company favors higher volumes over higher profit margins, a comment that sparked some concern from analysts.
“Think twice before you send me a request,” Musk wrote in the email on Monday. “No one can join Tesla, even as a contractor, until you receive my approval via email.”
Musk has been generally involved in new staffing and budget approvals at Tesla since he took over as CEO in 2008.
Electric, a publication focused on electric vehicles, previously reported via email. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Tuesday, Tesla is scheduled to host its annual shareholder meeting in Austin, Texas. Stakeholders must decide whether to approve new and old board appointments, including the addition of former Tesla technology chief JB Straubel.
Acting advisory firm Glass Lewis recommended last month that shareholders vote against Straubel, because they did not view him as a suitable independent director given his history with the company from its early years until 2019, when he stepped down.
A separate consortium of environmental, social and governance-focused funds also urged shareholders to reconsider who they appoint to Tesla’s board. Some have warned the company’s current board of directors against reining in an “extremely committed” CEO. in an open letter.
Musk sold billions of dollars’ worth of Tesla stock to fund his Twitter acquisition, and he’s been courting controversy ever since.
Under Musk’s direction, Twitter has reinstated the accounts of previously banned and divisive figures, including neo-Nazi founder Andrew Anglin. In recent days, the company has acquiesced to the demands Smother some content And users on the app are in Türkiye, ahead of an important election there.
Here’s my daily email from Musk:
to all
Who: Elon Musk
subject. employment
Date: May 15, 2023
I would like to have a better understanding of our employment. The Vice Presidents are required to send me a list of applications for employment in their departments once a week.
Think twice before you send me an order. Nobody can join Tesla, even as a contractor, until you receive my approval via email.
Thanks,
Which color
He watches: Tesla has great growth behind it
“Devoted student. Bacon advocate. Beer scholar. Troublemaker. Falls down a lot. Typical coffee enthusiast.”