Tesla's board of directors has presented shareholders with an unprecedented compensation package for CEO Elon Musk, challenging traditional corporate governance norms and betting on his transformative vision for the company [1][2].

The proposed $878 billion stock compensation package represents a monumental gamble, with shareholders set to vote on whether to approve what could potentially make Musk the world's first trillionaire. The board argues that only Musk can deliver Tesla's ambitious goals of becoming an artificial intelligence and robotics powerhouse [1][2].

Under the proposed plan, if Musk achieves all performance targets within a decade, Tesla's market value could soar to $8.5 trillion, with Musk potentially owning approximately 25% of the company's stock. This compensation package far exceeds any previous CEO remuneration in corporate history [1][2].

Major institutional shareholders like CalPERS have already signaled opposition to the compensation plan, highlighting significant governance concerns. However, Musk's existing 15% voting stake provides him substantial influence over the upcoming shareholder vote [3][4].

The board's proposal is fundamentally a referendum on Musk's unique leadership style and his potential to revolutionize Tesla's technological trajectory. Investors must now decide whether to back Musk's vision or risk potential leadership disruption [1][2].