Elon Musk gives himself bizarre new Tesla job title that leaves fans guessing

The billionaire chief executive of Tesla Elon Musk has changed his job title to “technoking” of the electric car manufacturer.

Musk also retains his position as chief executive and the company’s financial chief, Zach Kirkhorn, has been rebranded as “master of coin”.

Kirkhorn’s job title change may be a nod to Tesla’s $1.5bn (£1bn) investment in bitcoin the company made last month.

The move sent shares in the controversial but popular digital cryptocurrency soaring.

Musk, who was dethroned as the world’s richest man last month as Tesla’s share price slumped, has previously changed his Twitter biography to “#bitcoin”.

In the companies latest filing to the US stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it said: “Effective as of 15 March 2021, the titles of Elon Musk and Zach Kirkhorn have changed to technoking of Tesla and master of coin, respectively.

“Elon and Zach will also maintain their respective positions as chief executive officer and chief financial officer.”

The South African-born American entrepreneur, whose net worth is estimated at more than $170bn, second only to the Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, has a penchant for eccentric and at times divisive behaviour.

Earlier this year, Tesla posted a job advertisement for a customer support specialist with responsibilities including handling complaints made against Musk on social media.

In 2019, Musk’s theatrical launch of Tesla’s Blade-Runner-meets-cyberpunk pick up truck, designed to prove the company could make a credible electric version of America’s favourite vehicle, descended into farce when durability tests involving sledgehammers, a simulation of a 9mm bullet strike and hefty metal balls went wrong.

A year earlier, a decision to smoke marijuana on a live web show resulted in a 6% fall in Tesla’s share price, and the departure of two of its senior executives.