Meet Tesla's Indian-origin CFO who earns more than Satya Nadella, Pichai

Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja earned $139 million in 2024, surpassing the pay of Microsoft's Satya Nadella and Alphabet's Sundar Pichai

Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Vaibhav Taneja earned a staggering $139 million (approximately ₹1,157 crore) in 2024, making him one of the highest-paid CFOs in corporate history. Taneja’s massive payout, largely driven by stock options and equity awards granted after his promotion in 2023, outpaced the total compensation of several leading tech executives.

 

According to Tesla’s disclosures, Taneja’s base salary was $400,000 (₹3.33 crore). However, the bulk of his compensation came from equity awards, which surged in value due to Tesla's rising stock price. By May 19, 2025, Tesla shares had climbed to $342 (₹28,400)—up from about $250 (₹20,800) when the stock awards were issued, reported The Wall Street Journal.

 

 

Vaibhav Taneja outearned Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai

 

Taneja’s 2024 earnings outstripped some of the most high-profile executives in the tech world. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earned $79.1 million (₹658 crore), while Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai received $10.73 million (₹89 crore) in the same year.

 

Despite Tesla experiencing a decline in electric vehicle (EV) deliveries and profits in recent quarters, the company’s share price rebounded strongly—boosting equity-linked executive compensation across the board.

 

Taneja's compensation package has now set a new benchmark in the corporate world. His total payout surpassed the previous CFO record of $86 million (₹715 crore), set by Nikola’s CFO in 2020. Notably, Nikola filed for bankruptcy in 2024. 

 

Who Is Vaibhav Taneja?

 

Vaibhav Taneja, 47, is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi, according to his LinkedIn profile. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he worked in both India and the US for 17 years (1999–2016).

 

In March 2016, Taneja joined SolarCity Corporation, a solar energy company where he served as Vice President and later as Corporate Controller. That same year, Tesla acquired SolarCity, and Taneja played a key role in integrating the accounting functions of the two companies.

 

Taneja joined Tesla in 2017 as Assistant Corporate Controller and was promoted to Corporate Controller in 2018. In 2019, he became Chief Accounting Officer, and in August 2023, he was appointed as Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

 

He also serves as the Director of Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited, Tesla's Indian arm, since 2021.