Tesla chair Robyn Denholm ignored questions on whether or not Elon Musk must commit extra time to the US automotive maker as its gross sales and share value crater.
Denholm, who spoke at a monetary providers convention in Melbourne on Tuesday, mentioned nothing when requested if she was involved about Musk’s obvious far proper allegiances, or his opposition to range and inclusion initiatives. Requested if she had a message for Tesla shareholders, she didn’t reply. A girl accompanying Denholm as she entered the convention venue mentioned they wouldn’t remark or reply to any questions.
Denholm was giving a keynote tackle about expertise on the Australian convention, and was listed on the programme as a Tesla govt. Her speech centered on Australia’s insufficient funding in analysis and improvement. She is main a evaluation of R&D for the Australian authorities. She then refused to reply questions as she left the occasion.
In the meantime, a disaster threatens to envelop Tesla on a number of fronts. Public anger at Musk’s proximity to the US authorities — he leads US President Donald Trump’s so-called division of presidency effectivity — has spilled over, with protesters focusing on showrooms, automobiles and charging stations within the US and throughout Europe.
Musk’s new position has exacerbated issues that he’s overstretched and has inadequate time to handle Tesla correctly. Even earlier than Musk began serving to Trump reduce prices, there have been already doubts about his skill to supervise SpaceX, Tesla and social media platform X on the similar time.
Musk, the world’s richest man with a fortune of US$340-billion, instructed Fox Enterprise in an interview earlier this month that he was having “nice issue” operating his different companies whereas managing Trump’s Doge.
Lack of independence
Denholm’s skill to affect Musk has lengthy been a subject of debate. The Sydney-based govt not often talks in public about her position at Tesla, or solutions particular questions concerning the firm or how she oversees Musk.
A US choose dominated final 12 months that Denholm lacked independence on the board as a result of she owed most of her wealth to her service as a Tesla director. Denholm made $280-million exercising Tesla choices in 2021 and 2022, a sum that she has described as “life-changing”.
In Melbourne on Tuesday, Denholm additionally mentioned nothing when requested if she had thought of her place as Tesla chair.
Learn: Tesla gross sales are nonetheless crashing in Europe
Different customers are abandoning the automotive maker in response to Musk’s obvious political allegiances. Musk endorsed the far-right Various for Germany social gathering within the months main as much as the nation’s February election. He had earlier made gestures resembling a Nazi salute at an inauguration occasion for Trump.
In the meantime Tesla gross sales and shipments have slumped in key markets together with Europe and China. Musk sought to reassure Tesla workers in an all-hands assembly broadcast on X final week, and urged them to hold on to their inventory.
The automotive maker’s share value, after reaching a December excessive of virtually $480, had misplaced greater than half its worth by early March. Even Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, long-term Tesla bull, final week mentioned the corporate was going by a disaster that solely Musk might repair, and urged the board to “step up” and cease being silent.
Denholm’s look on the Asia-Pacific Monetary and Innovation Symposium in Melbourne is perhaps her final as chair of the Tech Council of Australia — the same old hat she wears for public appearances in her house nation — after lately saying she would hand the position over to Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar in late March.
Learn: Mercedes takes on Tesla and BYD with electrical CLA
One of many group’s foremost drives has been to extend the variety of ladies working within the tech business — earlier this month saying a programme with a number of corporations that may “spotlight the good thing about tech careers and the promotion of gender, fairness and inclusion within the tech sector”.
That’s at odds with Musk’s stance on DEI. He has known as it “simply one other phrase for racism” and amplified posts on X which have blamed every part from the Los Angeles wildfires to Boeing’s manufacturing lapses on range and inclusion insurance policies. — Angus Whitley, (c) 2025 Bloomberg LP
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