Tesla’s chief financial officer is stepping down with a familiar face filling the void.
Jason Wheeler is resigning as Tesla’s CFO to pursue opportunities in public policy, Tesla announced this week. Wheeler will stay with the company through April to ensure a smooth transition.
Former CFO Deepak Ahuja will return to the role for Tesla in March. He served as CFO for the comany from July 2008 through November 2015.
Ahuja, 54, will have an annual base salary of $500,000 and will receive a $15 million new-hire equity grant spread out over four years in accordance with Tesla’s equity policies. The grant comes in the form of restricted stock units (RSUs), stock options or a combination of both.
“It is a very important time in the history of Tesla, and I’m excited to be back,” Ahuja said. “This is a unique opportunity to rejoin the talented and driven team at Tesla.”
Elon Musk, Tesla co-founder and chief executive officer, praised Wheeler’s work and welcomed back Ahuja to the company.
“Jason has been a key member of Tesla’s leadership team, and he has played an important role in further improving the company’s financial position,” Musk said in a blog post. “I want to thank Jason and wish him success as he moves into public policy. Looking ahead, we’re pleased to have Deepak join us again to ensure a seamless transition for Tesla.”
Wheeler expressed his gratitude to Tesla and said he will continue to fight for environmentally friendly initiatives going forward.
“It's been an honor to work for such an incredible company,” Wheeler said. “After spending the last 15 years helping to make information accessible to everyone and to advance sustainable energy, I’m looking forward to continuing to champion these causes and others from a public policy perspective.“