Tesla board member says Elon Musk identified potential successor as CEO

So I think Tesla would continue to do very well even if I was kidnapped by aliens or went back to my home planet maybe." Some Tesla investors are worried about Musk's capacity to focus on his role as CEO of the world's most valuable carmaker now that he has been running Twitter Inc after a protracted buyout that he tried to scrap.

James Murdoch, a Tesla director, said on Wednesday CEO Elon Musk has in the last few months identified someone as a potential successor to head the electric carmaker.

Murdoch, who did not name the potential successor, was testifying in a trial over Musk's 2018 Tesla pay package. When a plaintiff's lawyer asked him to confirm that Musk has never identified someone as a potential successor CEO, Murdoch said, "He actually has," adding that happened in the "last few months."

It was not clear how specific the conversation about successor was. When asked about succession plan at Tesla's shareholders meeting in August, Musk said, "I intend to stay with Tesla as long as I can be useful." He also said "we do have a very talented team here. So I think Tesla would continue to do very well even if I was kidnapped by aliens or went back to my home planet maybe."

Some Tesla investors are worried about Musk's capacity to focus on his role as CEO of the world's most valuable carmaker now that he has been running Twitter Inc after a protracted buyout that he tried to scrap.