Elon Musk has once again underlined his commitment to Tesla, stating that he intends to remain the company’s CEO for at least the next five years—barring death. The billionaire entrepreneur made the remark during a virtual appearance at the Qatar Economic Forum, where he was asked directly whether he saw himself still leading Tesla half a decade from now.
Musk responded without hesitation, saying he would continue as CEO, adding a characteristically blunt remark: “I’ll still be CEO in five years… unless I die. I can’t be the CEO if I’m dead.”
A short clip from the interview was shared on X on December 30, 2025, by user Mario Nawfal, quickly gaining over 222,000 views. In his caption, Nawfal praised Musk’s straightforwardness, describing the statement as free of “corporate double-speak” and highlighting Musk’s mix of seriousness and dark humor. He emphasized that Musk shows no intention of stepping away from Tesla anytime soon.
Nawfal also pointed out that Musk remains deeply involved in a wide range of ambitious projects, including artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, self-driving technology, Gigafactories, and even space exploration. He added that few individuals could manage ventures as diverse as social media platforms, electric vehicles, AI risk debates, and plans for Mars colonization all at once—suggesting that only mortality could force Musk out of Tesla’s top role.
Investor Pressure and Calls for Leadership Change
Despite Musk’s confidence, not all Tesla investors share his enthusiasm. Earlier this year, prominent investor Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, publicly called for Musk to step down as Tesla’s CEO.
Speaking on Sky’s Business Live in March, Gerber argued that Tesla had suffered from a lack of focused leadership. He stated that the company needed a new CEO, claiming Musk had been stretched too thin across multiple responsibilities. Gerber suggested that Musk should either fully recommit to Tesla and relinquish his other roles or step aside and allow a dedicated executive to lead the EV maker.
Gerber’s comments came at a time when Tesla’s stock was under pressure, following widespread protests against both Musk and the company. These protests were reportedly linked to Musk’s political involvement, including his association with the Trump administration at the time.
