Ladies and gentlemen, attention! The corporate soap opera of the year gives us a textbook twist: Carlos Tavares, the Portuguese CEO with the heaviest wallet in the automotive sector, has decided to hang up the steering wheel. Resignation with immediate effect. End. Kaput. And, as they say, “I’ll unplug and thank you for all the millions.”
A star farewell
For those who don’t know him – and we find it hard to believe that anyone could ignore such a luminary of corporate management – Tavares, 66 years old and with a career as glittering as the bonnet of a freshly polished Ferrari, is the man who in four decades has put the signature on some of the largest automotive companies in the world. He worked with Nissan, Renault, Peugeot and finally Stellantis, where he entered with a lead foot and, apparently, left with an explosive wallet.
Figures at stake? Around 100 million euros in liquidation. A figure that would make even Elon Musk’s head spin, but he has other problems (and 56 billion reasons not to worry too much about it).
Life and miracles of a performance maniac
Tavares is not just synonymous with “loads of money”. He is also an over-the-top character: a stopwatch maniac, a proponent of short meetings (maximum 30 minutes, because, let’s face it, who has time for diplomacy?), and a fan of motivational slogans at the bottom of emails. His favourites? “Let’s win” and “Keep on fighting”, which translated means “We will win” and “Let’s keep fighting”. The actual translation, however, might be something like: “Get a move on, or you’re out.”
Politics, parliaments and controversies
It certainly cannot be said that the good Carlos left everyone smiling. His stewardship of Stellantis, for some, has been a roller coaster with more downs than ups. The Italian Parliament, for example, heavily criticized him for his hearing in October, while the League has already pointed the finger and asked for an account of the liquidation: “But 100 million euros to do what exactly?”
The comparison with Musk: star wars (not Stellantis)
Speaking of stratospheric salaries, it’s impossible not to take a trip overseas and talk about Elon Musk. The Delaware court recently declared his $56 billion compensation “excessive and unfair.” But, like any self-respecting soap opera, Tesla shareholders decided to ignore the court and restore everything. Which obviously unleashed our dear Elon, who on X (formerly Twitter) lashed out at the judges with the subtlety of a meteorite: “Shareholders should control companies, not judges.”
The moral of the story
If there is anything we learn from these events, it is that high-level CEOs are not just managers, but true protagonists of soap operas. Carlos Tavares leaves amid stellar bonuses and controversy, while Elon Musk continues to dominate headlines, screens and, probably, even the skies.
And us? We are here, ready to shed a tear for that 100 million euros, as we return to our normal lives. Or, as Tavares would say, “Keep on fighting.”
