‘Ho-Hum’ Call, Fiery Ending: Elon Musk’s $1 Trillion Pay Pitch

A “ho-hum” Tesla earnings call about AI initiatives and the Optimus robot suddenly ignited in its final minutes. CEO Elon Musk interrupted his CFO to deliver a passionate, fiery plea for investors to ratify his $1 trillion compensation package.
The world’s richest person is facing a showdown with shareholders at the company’s annual meeting in Austin on Nov. 6, where the package will be put to a vote. Musk’s impromptu speech appeared aimed at countering negative recommendations from advisory firms.
Musk blasted ISS and Glass Lewis, two prominent proxy advisory services, for opposing the plan. He claimed they “have no freaking clue” and issued “asinine recommendations.” Musk stated he didn’t feel comfortable “building a robot army” only to be “ousted” by them.
He also elaborated on his view of corporate control, stating he needs “a strong influence” but not so much power that he “can’t be fired if I go insane.” This “classic Musk” remark punctuated the end of the 75-minute call.
Tesla’s CFO, Vaibhav Taneja, had the final word. He defended the board committee’s proposal, insisting it aligns Musk’s incentives with investors by tying benefits to “substantial returns” for shareholders. He urged a “yes” vote.