Tesla asks shareholders to retain Robyn Denholm as chair

[SAN FRANCISCO] Tesla wants Robyn Denholm to remain as chair of the electric-vehicle manufacturer's board, even as chief executive officer Elon Musk will soon become eligible to retake the top job following a three-year suspension.

Mr Musk, who has led the electric-car maker since 2008, lost his position as chair as part of a settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over his ill-fated attempt to take Tesla private in 2018.

The SEC agreement, announced in September of that year, required Musk to step down from the role and be replaced by an independent chair for three years, a period which ends later this year. Ms Denholm, 57, has served on Tesla's board since August 2014 and been its chair since November 2018.

"We believe that Ms Denholm possesses specific attributes that qualify her to serve as a member of the board and as its chair," Tesla said Friday in its proxy filing.

The company cited her "leadership experience and her financial and accounting expertise."

The EV market leader plans to hold its shareholder meeting Oct 7 at its factory in Fremont, California.

Tesla said Director Antonio Gracias, a private equity firm founder, is leaving the board as planned. The company is proposing to shrink the board to eight members from nine following Mr Gracias's departure.

Investors will also weigh five stockholder proposals: A call to reduce director terms to one year, increase reporting on diversity and inclusion efforts, disclose the use of employee arbitration, create a board level committee to look at human capital and commission an independent report on human rights. Tesla's board recommended a vote against all five proposals.

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