The co-founder of Airbnb Inc., Joseph Gebbia, joined the board of directors of Tesla Inc. on Wednesday, reversing a decision to reduce the number of directors at the most valuable automaker in the world.

Following the departure of Oracle Inc. co-founder Larry Ellison in August, Tesla announced in June that it will have just seven board seats, drawing criticism from a shareholder organisation for the absence of independent board members.

SOC Investment Group complained to the US government in July. Tesla's strategy was found to be in violation of a 2018 'consent decree' with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which includes having two independent board seats.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, mentioned going private in a tweet that led to that deal. Tesla appointed Ellison, who identifies as a personal friend of Musk, in December 2018 to carry out the arrangement.

Gebbia, a multibillion dollar Internet entrepreneur and designer from the United States, joins Tesla after announcing in July that he would stand down from his full-time position and take on an advising role at Airbnb.

Congratulations on building an amazing company with Airbnb, now for Book 2!' Musk wrote at the time. In text exchanges released this year as part of an ongoing shareholder litigation, Gebbia had praised Musk's bid to take Tesla private in 2018 as a 'baller move' Being in the public, said Musk, 'Sucks.'

Whether the billionaire will diversify the Tesla board was questioned by some academics. SOC Investment Group filed a complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in July, claiming that Tesla's proposal did not adhere to a 2018 agreement with the SEC, which required having two independent boards. According to Reuters, this arrangement was reached after Tesla's owner Elon Musk revealed his intentions to go private.

Ellison was hired by Tesla in December 2018. Gebbia, a millionaire designer and Internet entrepreneur from the US, has joined Tesla after declaring in July that he will leave his post and join Airbnb as director of advertising.

Some industry analysts question whether Gebbia will be able to bring any value to Tesla, casting doubt on the company's choice to add him to its board of directors. Some think Musk's brothers are gathering here more so than a new person was hired.