For Tesla, Elon Musk served as CEO when the company became the world's most valuable automaker by market value.
Musk joined Tesla's board in 2004 and became its chief executive in 2008. Tesla's early Roadster demonstrated that a battery-powered sports car could be commercially produced, while the Model S helped establish the company as a major electric-vehicle manufacturer.
Tesla's market value surged dramatically in 2020 as investors anticipated rapid growth in electric vehicles, battery storage, and charging infrastructure. Its valuation temporarily exceeded that of every other automaker, although market-cap rankings can change whenever share prices move.
Musk is also associated with SpaceX, X, and several other ventures. A common mix-up is calling him Tesla's founder: Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning founded the company in 2003, while Musk was an early major investor and later became its best-known leader.