Tesla's Former CFO Kirkhorn Walks Away with $590 Million, Just 0.25% of Elon Musk's Wealth

Zachary Kirkhorn, who recently stepped down from his role as the chief financial officer of Tesla Inc. TSLA, concluded his 13-year journey in the position by successfully amassing a noteworthy net worth of $590 million, primarily comprised of Tesla shares and compensation options.

Nevertheless, this monetary triumph stands in stark contrast to the mammoth riches of the CEO and self-proclaimed “techno king,” Elon Musk, whose net worth soared to an astonishing $230.6 billion, the highest in the world, according to Bloomberg.

Kirkhorn’s earnings at Tesla account for just 0.25% of Musk’s total fortune.

In comparison, the departing CFO’s remuneration package appears relatively modest. Aside from around $550 million in options, Kirkhorn earned a base salary of $300,000 in 2022 and leveraged previously accrued paid time off worth $31,099 for the acquisition of a Tesla vehicle, according to the latest proxy filing from the company.

Kirkhorn’s Future Is Yet To Come

Kirkhorn’s future endeavors remain shrouded in uncertainty.

The engineer, who is in his late 30s and holds degrees from both Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania, has been an integral part of Tesla since 2010.

He earned a reputation among analysts as a composed and rational presence, countering his outspoken CEO, especially during earnings calls. Prior to his tenure at Tesla, he gained experience as an analyst at McKinsey & Co. and interned at Microsoft Corp. MSFT.

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock