Latest news with #Taneja
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Elon Musk gives CFO Vaibhav Taneja charge of Tesla and politics — ₹1,100 crore salary, ‘No IIT-IIM tag, but unbeatable'
Vaibhav Taneja, an Indian-origin chartered accountant, plays a central role in managing Elon Musk's growing financial empire. Currently Tesla's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), he now has an additional title — treasurer and custodian of records for Musk's newly announced political venture, the America Party. Despite not being from the traditional IIT-IIM circuit, Taneja earns a massive ₹1,100 crore annually, according to The Wall Street Journal. Handles political finances too now A recent Financial Express report confirmed that Taneja has officially taken charge of finances for the America Party. In this role, he will be responsible for supervising political funding, budget distribution, and ensuring compliance with financial laws. This marks a significant shift from his existing role in corporate finance to the political space. Musk, who has consistently trusted Taneja with high-level responsibilities, has now extended that trust into the political arena. From Delhi university to Tesla's top office Taneja began his journey in finance at Delhi University, graduating in commerce in 1999 and qualifying as a chartered accountant a year later. In 2006, he moved to the United States and became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a move that widened his global financial career. He spent nearly 17 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he handled regulatory filings, financial operations, and IPOs for over 500 clients. His entry into the renewable energy sector came in 2016 with SolarCity — a company later absorbed into Tesla. Rs 1,100 crore in 2024, mostly from stock awards Taneja joined Tesla in 2017 and steadily rose through its ranks, becoming CFO in 2023. In 2024, he earned $139.5 million (around ₹1,157 crore), though his base salary was only $400,000. The rest of his compensation came from stock options and equity awards. He also serves as a Director at Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd., where he has contributed significantly to Tesla's India strategies. With his new role in the America Party, Taneja is not just managing Tesla's numbers but also becoming a key figure in Musk's political ambitions.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
He's not from IIT, IIM. Meet DU grad who manages Elon Musk's finances and earns Rs 1,100 crore. Who is Vaibhav Taneja?
He's one of the most trusted members of Elon Musk 's retinue and manages his $400 million (approximately Rs 33.938 crores) net worth. And he's not from IIT or IIM. Meet Vaibhav Taneja . The Indian-origin chartered accountant currently works as chief financial officer at Tesla and draws a whopping Rs 1100 crore every year, as per a The Wall Street Journal report. According to a report published by Financial Express, Vaibhav Taneja has been officially appointed as the treasurer and custodian of records for Elon Musk's recently unveiled political initiative, the America Party . This marks a significant transition in Taneja's career, as he previously served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Tesla, the renowned electric vehicle and clean energy firm. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Public Policy Management Artificial Intelligence Technology others Data Analytics Finance Cybersecurity Operations Management CXO MBA Degree Data Science Healthcare Project Management PGDM Others Product Management MCA Design Thinking Digital Marketing Data Science healthcare Leadership Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details As per his LinkedIn profile, Taneja completed his undergraduate degree in commerce at Delhi University in 1999. The following year, he achieved the distinction of becoming a chartered accountant. His pursuit of global qualifications led him to the United States in 2006, where he obtained the prestigious Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential, laying the groundwork for an expansive international finance career. Taneja's professional experience is extensive, beginning with nearly 17 years at the global consulting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). During this period, he was involved in managing financial operations, regulatory filings, and IPO processes for a broad portfolio of more than 500 clients. His transition into the renewable energy sector began in 2016, when he joined SolarCity, a company focused on solar technology, which was later absorbed into Tesla's operations. By 2017, Taneja had become an integral part of Tesla and quickly advanced within the organization. In 2023, he was elevated to the position of Tesla's CFO. In the following year, his total compensation reached approximately $139.5 million (equivalent to nearly ₹1,157 crore), though his base salary was only $400,000. The remainder of his income came from stock options and equity-based awards. Additionally, Taneja holds the role of Director at Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd., where he has been a key figure in driving Tesla's market entry and operations in India. With his new responsibilities in the America Party, Taneja will oversee political funding, budget allocation, and compliance with financial regulations. Elon Musk has once again demonstrated his confidence in Taneja—not just for guiding Tesla's financial direction, but now also for securing the monetary backbone of his emerging political movement.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's finance chief says Americans should buy its cars now — Trump's Big Beautiful Bill could affect later deliveries
Tesla urged potential US buyers to order now due to limited vehicle supply this quarter. Trump's Big Beautiful Bill ends the $7,500 EV credit, which will likely affect Tesla's US sales. On Wednesday, Tesla reported a revenue decline and saw its stock drop 4%. Tesla has a message for Americans: If you want our cars, buy them now. On Wednesday's earnings call, Tesla's chief financial officer, Vaibhav Taneja, said that President Donald Trump's tax law could affect the availability of its cars. One of the law's changes is the removal of the $7,500 EV credit by the end of the quarter. "Given the abrupt change, we have limited supply of vehicles in the US this quarter," Taneja said. "If you are in the US and looking to buy a car, place your order now as we may not be able to guarantee delivery orders placed in the later part of August and beyond." Earlier this month, the House passed the final version of the bill, which extends the president's 2017 tax cuts and makes key changes to the tax system. The law also ends the $7,500 EV tax credit awarded to buyers on September 30, which analysts saw as a win for smaller rivals such as Lucid and Rivian, who are less dependent on the credit. The Tesla CFO said that the company would start "paring" back planned incentives as cars start to sell. After the tax law was passed, Tesla began offering perks such as free supercharging on select models, a one-month free trial of Full Self‑Driving, and a $1,000 discount for "American heroes" like military members, teachers, and first responders. Tesla said it delivered over 384,000 vehicles in the quarter that ended in June. On the call, CEO Elon Musk said Tesla is in a "weird transition period" as it navigates the expiration of incentives and the wider regulatory environment for autonomous vehicles. The Trump administration's tariffs are also raising costs for the automaker, the CFO said. "While we are doing our best to manage these impacts, we are in an unpredictable environment on the tariff front," Taneja said. He estimated that the cost of the tariffs increased by around $300 million this quarter. On Wednesday, the EV giant reported second-quarter revenue of $22.5 billion, compared to expectations of $22.64 billion — its sharpest quarterly revenue decline in at least the last 10 years. It reported earnings per share, a key measure of profitability, were 40 cents, compared to Wall Street's estimates of 42 cents. Tesla's stock fell over 4% after hours on Wednesday. It is down 17.6% so far this year. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Musk warns of ‘rough' quarters ahead amid Tesla revenue slump
This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Provisions of the tax and spending plan included in the Big Beautiful Bill relating to the electric vehicle market have left Tesla in a 'weird transition period,' with the automaker poised to lose certain incentives in the U.S. market, CEO Elon Musk said Wednesday during the company's earnings call. 'I mean, does that mean like we could have a few rough quarters? Yes, we probably could have a few rough quarters,' Musk said relating to the impact of such shifts in response to questions. The Austin, Texas-based company faces several 'near-term challenges' related to the negative impacts of the Trump administration's spending plan as well as tariffs, CFO Vaibhav Taneja said Wednesday according to a transcript. For its Q2 of 2025, the EV maker saw a slump in both revenue and profit for the second consecutive quarter. Dive Insight: Among other regulatory shifts likely to affect the business, the tax bill ends a $7,500 EV tax credit in September, as well as reducing the amount of penalty for certain emission standards to zero — which will affect new sales of regulatory credits and in turn contribute to lower revenue, Taneja said during the call. Because of the 'abrupt change,' Tesla has a limited supply of vehicles in the U.S. for this quarter, he said. 'If you are in the U.S. and looking to buy a car, place your order now as we may not be able to guarantee delivery orders placed in the later part of August and beyond,' Taneja said. The CFO also warned of a continuing negative impact related to tariffs, noting sequentially, the cost of tariffs 'increased around $300 million with approximately two-thirds of that impact in automotive and [the] rest in energy,' he said. 'However, given the latency in manufacturing and sales, the full impact will come through in the following quarters, and so costs will increase in the near term.' For its second quarter ended June 30, the EV maker saw a dip in both revenue and profit, with total revenue declining 12% year-over-year to $22.5 billion, according to its earnings presentation. Operating income, meanwhile, slumped by 42% YoY to $0.9 billion, while net income attributable to shareholders dropped by 16% to approximately $1.1 billion. Tesla attributed the slide partly to lower vehicle deliveries and sales, after it reported a 14% decline in deliveries on July 2. Despite poor sales, however, Musk noted he was still optimistic about the company's future and championed certain new initiatives during the Wednesday call, including its 'robotaxi' pilot in Austin, where the EV maker is testing out autonomous vehicles. The quarterly results come as Tesla continues to face increased attention from both consumers, investors and regulators. The EV maker is facing two separate suits surrounding its self-driving technology, including a jury trial unfolding in Florida surrounding a 2019 crash. Tesla is also clashing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles surrounding claims that it misled consumers about the capabilities of its self-driving technology, Bloomberg reported. Tesla also continues to field backlash against CEO Musk's political activities, with shares of the EV maker falling in July after Musk announced he would be forming an independent political party, the New York Times reported. The company's executive leadership fell under further scrutiny after two separate filings with the Federal Election Commission also listed Taneja as the treasurer for 'America Party (AEMP)' and 'The America Party (TAP),' respectively, CFO Dive previously reported. The FEC has sent letters addressed to the parties noting certain details may be incorrect — the filings each give an erroneous California address for the party and list a phone number which leads to Tesla's investor relations team — and asking for further information by Aug. 11. Tesla shareholders have also upped the pressure on Musk as the company continues to see weak sales, with a group of 27 shareholders sending a letter to company leadership listing growing concerns surrounding its corporate governance before the company designated the date of its annual shareholder meeting, CFO Dive previously reported. As Tesla continues to make further investments into new technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotaxis, and robotics, an analyst on Wednesday questioned if Musk was 'comfortable' making investments in such areas, given his current control over the business. Musk owns approximately 410 million shares of Tesla common stock, representing about a 13% stake. 'That is a major concern, as I've mentioned in the past, and I hope that it's addressed at the upcoming shareholders' meeting,' Musk said in response. 'I think as I've mentioned before, I think my control over Tesla should be enough to ensure that it goes in a good direction, but not so much control that I can't be thrown out if I go crazy,' he said. Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
The Future of Audience Engagement: Nipun Taneja's Vibe Marketing
PNN New Delhi [India], July 24: Every marketer has felt it. That frustrating moment when a campaign starts flatlining, dashboards overflow with lagging data, and decisions feel like guesswork despite endless reports. We're drowning in information but starving for insight. This is the juncture where performance marketing stands today - bloated with tools, bogged down by complexity, and miles behind real-time. Enter Nipun Taneja. With over $100M in ad spend experience, he isn't just adapting to change; he's propelling it forward with a sharp focus on AI-enabled marketing that simplifies decisions, speeds up reactions, and reimagines how brands engage their audiences. Beyond Vibe Marketing: The Shift from Theory to Action Vibe Marketing - the evolution of performance campaigns that feel native, not intrusive - has been gaining momentum. While Taneja didn't introduce the term, his impact on this space is undeniable. Through his product suite under he's turning the Vibe Marketing philosophy into something actionable and scalable. At its core, Vibe Marketing isn't about dumping more creatives into your ad set or A/B testing until your budget evaporates. It's about creating campaigns that blend so naturally into a user's digital environment that the experience feels seamless, and the conversion, effortless. Yet even the most "native" campaign fails when insights arrive too late. The Problem with Performance Today Taneja's observations over the past 15 years spotlight recurring issues that still plague campaign teams: * Teams toggle between 5-7 tools for every campaign. * Reporting cycles delay optimisation by days. * Most insights come after ROAS has already dropped. * Creative fatigue is detected only when performance has already declined. This isn't a data problem. It's a decision problem. And it's why AI-driven marketing needs a new interface - one that understands urgency, context, and the marketer's daily pressure. Enter Campaign Intelligence in Motion So what exactly are Vibelets? They're not just widgets or cards. A Vibelet is a modular, context-aware unit that knows its place in your campaign flow. It can summarise performance, suggest optimisations, and even trigger actions - all while feeling intuitive and intelligent. Think of it as your campaign's second brain - one that's always scanning, learning, and nudging you towards what matters most. From budget drain alerts to visual summaries of underperforming creatives, Vibelets offer more than just reporting. They create a feedback loop - action-oriented and always in real-time. Key Vibelets Features Transforming Engagement: * AI Media Buyer: Automates tactical decisions without removing control. * Campaign Creator: Helps shape narratives that fit platform-native styles. * Traffic Integration: Already wired into TikTok, Google, Taboola, and more. * Visual Intelligence: Tracks brand identity and customer experience side-by-side. * Live Alerts: Notifies users about performance dips before they become problems. AI-Enabled Marketing Without the Noise What sets Taneja's system apart isn't just that it uses AI - plenty of tools claim that. The difference lies in how AI-enabled marketing is applied to remove friction, not add features for the sake of complexity. Where others show charts, Vibelets spark clarity: * You ask: "Which creatives are losing impact after Day 3?" * Vibelet responds: "X, Y, Z dipped below engagement benchmarks. Pause or reallocate budget?" No dashboards to decipher. No meetings required. Just action, backed by intelligence. This is AI-driven marketing at its cleanest - not data for the sake of it, but intelligence with a purpose. Why Audience Engagement Needs Reinvention Audience engagement is no longer about reach and frequency. It's about rhythm and response. Taneja's blueprint recognises this shift. Instead of waiting for weekly reports, marketers now get: * Real-time creative fatigue detection (most creatives lose effectiveness in under 72 hours). * Collaborative intelligence across team members, allowing shared insights and faster pivoting. * Automated copywriting and UGC tools powered by contextual AI - already being tested inside the Vibelet ecosystem. When campaigns adapt as fast as audiences, engagement moves from passive to active. That's the edge brands need now. A Vision Backed by Real Experience There's a reason the performance marketing world is paying close attention. Taneja isn't theorising this shift - he's built it from years in the trenches. Running seven-figure campaigns. Navigating ROAS cliffs. Watching good creatives die too soon. He didn't just build Vibelets for marketers. He built them for himself - and for the pain points he knew first-hand. That authenticity is why early adopters of have reported: * 20-30% boost in campaign performance * 30% faster decision-making * Greater cross-functional alignment When intelligence is real-time, decisions become proactive, not reactive. And engagement becomes ongoing, not episodic. What's Coming Next? The roadmap is bold, but grounded in action: * Internal Launch: 10 July * Beta Rollout: 15 July * Global Debut: 4 August at TikTok's New York HQ With integrations planned for Shopify, WIX, and a growing number of ad platforms, is expanding beyond media to touch every layer of the campaign stack. Expect AI copywriting, UGC creators, team chats, and rule-based campaign automation to be live within weeks. It's not just about media buying anymore - it's about how AI redefines campaign storytelling from start to scale. Final Thoughts: Audience Engagement is Now a Live Conversation The future of audience engagement isn't something we'll see next year. It's already unfolding. And thanks to builders like Nipun Taneja, we're entering an era where campaigns are no longer linear slideshows of data, but living systems that respond, act quickly, and adapt instantly. Vibe Marketing is evolving. And with quietly becoming the engine behind it, audience engagement will never again be a one-way street. It's a conversation. A loop. And if you're not responding in real-time, you're already behind.
