Australian media mogul James Murdoch has joined the board of Tesla, the electric car company headed by billionaire Elon Musk.

The move comes after Telsa, founded in 2003, has been criticised for lacking independent directors on its board.

James Murdoch, son of media titan Rupert Murdoch, was named CEO of 21st Century Fox in 2015.

He previously was the conglomerate's co-COO, chairman and CEO for Europe and Asia, as well as chairman of BSkyB, Sky Deutschland, and Sky Italia, the businesses that now comprise Sky plc.

In announcing Murdoch's appointment to the Tesla board, the company highlighted his "decade-long leadership on environmental sustainability," noting that he and his wife, Kathryn Murdoch, are founders of a family foundation, Quadrivium, that supports initiatives involving natural resources, science, civic life, childhood health, and equal opportunity.

Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing, has also been named on the board.

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