Chipotle
- Tesla has announced that longtime Chipotle executive Jack Hartung will join the EV giant's board.
- Hartung served as CFO of the fast-food chain for 22 years before becoming president last year.
- Tesla's board has faced scrutiny over a report that it began searching for a new CEO to replace Elon Musk.
Tesla has tapped a veteran Chipotle executive to be the newest member of its board of directors.
Jack Hartung, who served as CFO of the Mexican fast-food chain for 22 years, will join Tesla's board in June, the automaker announced on Friday.
Hartung moved from CFO to president and chief strategy officer of Chipotle last year, following the departure of CEO Brian Niccol to lead Starbucks.
Tesla said he would retire from his executive role on June 1st but would remain a senior advisor to Chipotle.
Hartung will also be a member of the board's audit committee, Tesla said.
Hartung becomes the ninth member of Tesla's board, which is chaired by Robyn Denholm and also includes Elon Musk, his brother Kimbal, and Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia.
It comes as the board, which traditionally has played a low-key role in the running of the EV giant, faces growing scrutiny amid Tesla's difficult start to the year.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that members of Tesla's board had contacted recruitment firms to begin the search for a new CEO to replace Musk.
Board chair Denholm and Musk both denied the accuracy of the story, which came as Tesla faces collapsing sales across the globe and a wave and protests and vandalism over Musk's work at DOGE.
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment sent outside normal working hours.