Elon Musk interrupted a Tesla earnings call to demand “enough voting control to give a strong influence,” a plea he tied directly to his $1 trillion pay package. The CEO’s fiery remarks brought a “ho-hum” call to a dramatic close.
The world’s richest person, Musk, is lobbying investors ahead of a Nov. 6 vote in Austin that will determine the package’s fate. He interrupted his CFO at the end of the 75-minute call, which had previously covered AI and Optimus robots.
Musk spent much of his time attacking proxy advisory firms ISS and Glass Lewis, which have advised shareholders against the plan. He called their recommendations “asinine” and claimed they “have no freaking clue,” expressing fear of being “ousted” after “building a robot army.”
In a characteristic aside, Musk balanced his demand for control by saying he didn’t want so much power that he “can’t be fired if I go insane.”
Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja had the final word, defending the board’s proposal. He argued the plan was contingent on “substantial returns” for shareholders, ensuring Musk’s interests are aligned with investors. Taneja urged a “yes” vote.