Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, interrupted a Tesla earnings call to argue that his $1 trillion pay package is necessary to maintain a “strong influence” over the company. The CEO’s fiery plea came at the end of a 75-minute call.
Shareholders are set to vote on the massive package at the company’s annual meeting in Austin on Nov. 6. Musk’s interruption cut off his CFO and turned a “ho-hum” call about AI and robotaxis into a personal appeal.
Musk balanced his request for control with a nod to accountability. “I just think that there needs to be enough voting control to give a strong influence,” he said. “But not not so much that I can’t be fired if I go insane.”
He saved his most pointed remarks for advisory firms ISS and Glass Lewis, which oppose the plan. Musk called their recommendations “asinine” and claimed they “have no freaking clue.” He said he was uncomfortable “building a robot army” only to be “ousted” by them.
CFO Vaibhav Taneja concluded the call by supporting the board. He argued the plan ensures Musk only benefits if shareholders see “substantial returns” and repeatedly urged a “yes” vote from investors.