Tesla appoints Australian as Board Chair

US-based automotive and energy company, Tesla, has named Robyn Denholm as Chair of the Board, replacing Elon Musk in the role.
Denholm will be leaving her role as Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy at Australian telecommunications company, Telstra, once her six-month notice period with the business is complete. She will be serving as Tesla Chair on a full-time basis.
To ensure a smooth transition during the remainder of Denholm’s time at Telstra, Musk will be a resource to Robyn, according to Tesla, and provide any support that she requests in her role as Chair. Denholm will continue to provide the necessary focus and time to Telstra during the remainder of her time there, and she will also temporarily step down as Chair of Tesla’s Audit Committee until she leaves Telstra.
Denholm has served on the Tesla Board as an independent director since 2014. Her global experience in both Australia and Silicon Valley encompasses leadership roles across a range of technology companies, including Telstra, Juniper Networks, and Sun Microsystems. She is widely credited with leading a team that drove significant increases in Juniper’s revenues, overseeing Juniper’s corporate transformation during her nine-year tenure as Chief Financial and Operations Officer. Her experience also includes numerous finance management roles in the automotive industry while at Toyota.
“I believe in this company, I believe in its mission and I look forward to helping Elon and the Tesla team achieve sustainable profitability and drive long-term shareholder value,” said Denholm.
“Robyn has extensive experience in both the tech and auto industries, and she has made significant contributions as a Tesla Board member over the past four years in helping us become a profitable company,” said Musk. “I look forward to working even more closely with Robyn as we continue accelerating the advent of sustainable energy.”