Ross Gerber, an early Tesla investor and CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management, believes it’s time for Elon Musk to step down as CEO of Tesla. Gerber argues that Tesla needs a new face and a CEO who can refocus the company on what it does best. “With Tesla, it’s simple.
You get another face of Tesla. It could be anybody, any CEO, somebody who is a great communicator and refocuses people on what Tesla really does. I’ve been saying this for two years.
Tesla needs to be Tesla,” Gerber stated. Gerber has criticized Musk for being too preoccupied with his work at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and for engaging in behavior that tarnishes Tesla’s brand. He emphasized Musk’s controversial social media presence as a major issue.
“My anger rises at his incredibly insulting comments to people constantly,” Gerber added.
Ross Gerber criticizes Musk’s leadership
According to Gerber, Tesla still has significant potential under the exemplary leadership.
With TSLA stock currently down 37% year-to-date, he predicts it can fall even further—by as much as 50% from its current price if drastic changes aren’t made. “That implies Tesla shares falling to about $141, a roughly 67% decline from its all-time high in December,” he said. Gerber believes a leadership change could drive a rebound in Tesla stock by allowing investors to focus on the company’s innovative technology rather than Musk’s public antics.
However, not all Tesla investors agree with Gerber’s stance. One investor, known as “Teslaconomics” on X, has vehemently opposed the growing demand among some shareholders for Musk’s resignation. Teslaconomics threatened to sell 75% of his Tesla shares if Musk were to step down.
Musk responded to Teslaconomics’ support, saying, “Thanks.
Tesla has faced significant challenges recently, with vehicle deliveries dropping by 20% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2023. The company delivered only 387,000 vehicles, falling short of the projected 951,000 units. Given the polarized views among investors and supporters, Musk’s future as Tesla CEO remains a contentious topic.
The coming months will be critical in determining the company’s direction and leadership.
Image Credits: Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
