Overview

• Giorgio Balestrieri resigned after eight years at Tesla and in a LinkedIn letter said Elon Musk harmed Tesla’s mission and democratic institutions.
• He accused Musk of compromised leadership, alleging misinformation, manipulation of public discourse, targeting of minorities, and support for climate change deniers.
• Balestrieri worked on Tesla’s energy-storage business, served as the first Autobidder hire in Europe, and led European energy trading algorithms.
• Autobidder, a key part of Tesla’s energy strategy, enables batteries to buy and sell electricity in real time, acting like virtual power plants.
• The departure lands as shareholders prepare to vote in November on Musk’s pay package and potential Tesla funding for xAI, with some investors pressing for tighter oversight.