A SCOTS executive who is one of the biggest investors in Tesla, has criticised the electric car maker’s boss Elon Musk for his attack on a British cave diver who rescued children in Thailand.
Mr Musk’s posts on Twitter sparked backlash from shareholders and Silicon Valley analysts who called his behaviour immature and an impediment to the car company’s success.
The embattled CEO came under fire over the weekend after he baselessly called the diver, Vernon Unsworth, a “pedo” on Twitter and before eventually deleting the posts.
James Anderson, co-manager of Scottish Mortgage Trust (SMT) in emailed comments to the Guardian, said while he had backed Musk in arguments with critical analysts "this is different", adding: "We are in contact with the company and we are hopeful that it is being taken with due seriousness."
Mr Anderson, a senior partner at Baillie Gifford has with co-manager Tom Slater, invested five per cent of the £7.8 billion Scottish Mortgage Trust in the pioneering electric car maker.
It makes Edinburgh-based fund manager Baillie Gifford Tesla’s fifth largest shareholder.
Mr Anderson said he viewed "the end of carbon as essential" but admitted he was "frustrated that the real steps towards this are being overshadowed and undermined by this saga".
He said he would like to see “peace, quiet and execution” at the electric car company.
Mr Musk had flown to Thailand and offered to assist in the rescue mission of 12 boys and their coach from a flooded cave by providing a submarine, but leaders of the operation declined his help.
Mr Musk and Tesla have gone silent since he deleted the tweets, and have not responded to requests for comment since Sunday.
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