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【Foreword: The Most Successful "Wage Recovery" Case in History】
Tech enthusiasts and investors, hold on to your seats! The "Musk $56 Billion Compensation Case"—more gripping than any soap opera—has finally reached its climactic conclusion! This legal battle, which tested the depth of the world's richest man's pockets, shaped Tesla's future trajectory, and set the course for U.S. corporate regulations, drew to a jaw-dropping close today.Elon Musk, once jokingly referred to as "the cooked duck that flew away," has now demonstrated that experience truly counts.The Delaware Supreme Court has formally ruled to reinstate Musk's 2018 compensation package worth $56 billion (approximately NT$1.8 trillion). This marks not only a decisive victory for Musk personally but also a major showdown between Tesla shareholders' rights and the board's decision-making authority.
【Twist in the Road: Delaware Court's Major Reversal】
The twists and turns of this incident have been nothing short of dramatic. Let's quickly revisit this thrilling sequence of events:
- The Birth of the Sky-High Compensation Plan: In 2018, Tesla shareholders approved an unprecedented compensation package. Elon Musk, who receives no salary, could earn massive stock options by achieving extraordinarily high targets for revenue and market capitalization.
- Hit a brick wall: Last year, Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick ruled the plan invalid, finding the board was too closely aligned with Musk and unfair to shareholders.
- Fuming to the Point of Relocating: After the ruling came down, Musk was absolutely livid. Not only did he lambast Delaware on X (formerly Twitter), but he also ordered Tesla to immediately shift its legal domicile from Delaware to Texas, vowing to sever all ties with the state.
- Ultimate Comeback: However, in an opinion released on Friday, the Delaware Supreme Court overturned last year's ruling, declaring the compensation plan lawful and valid. This means the astronomical bonus will finally return to Musk's pocket.
【Commentary: What does this mean for Tesla?】
The impact of this ruling should not be underestimated. We have compiled several key aspects for your reference:
- The wealthiest man's Mars dream now has the ultimate silver bullet:
- The Board's "Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card":
- The Conclusion of the Legal Battle and the New Landscape:
Musk has repeatedly stated that he needs this funding to realize his Mars colonization plans and AI development goals. With this $56 billion, his control over Tesla will be further consolidated, especially as he actively transforms the company into an artificial intelligence and robotics enterprise.
The Supreme Court's decision effectively grants corporate boards greater autonomy. Provided procedures are followed, courts tend to respect shareholder votes even on "sky-high" compensation packages, rather than intervening to dictate how much CEOs should be paid.
Although Musk has relocated his company to Texas, this lingering case in Delaware remained a thorn in his side until resolved. Now that the matter has been settled, Musk can be said to have "shed a heavy burden," allowing him to fully focus on the upcoming Robotaxi launch event and autonomous driving development.
【Tech Watch: Fortune Favors the Bold, or Is Code the Law?】
This incident also prompts us to reflect: in the tech industry, has the personal charisma and influence of leaders already surpassed traditional corporate governance norms?For many supporters, Musk did indeed steer Tesla away from the brink of bankruptcy and create hundreds of billions in value, making his compensation "well-deserved." But for legal professionals, this reversal also reflects the judicial system's struggle when confronting "genius entrepreneurs."Should the courts strictly uphold procedural justice, or should they respect the collective choice of shareholders—where "when the master succeeds, even the dogs and chickens are elevated"?
【Conclusion: Musk's Next Move?】
Although this legal battle has come to a close, the feud between Musk and the state of Delaware will likely remain a classic case study in business schools for years to come.For us ordinary folks, $56 billion is an astronomical sum. Yet witnessing Musk's unyielding tenacity—his refusal to back down even when facing adversity—leaves one marveling: in the tech industry, if you possess the capability, the courts may ultimately have no choice but to give you the green light.Reader Interaction: Do you think Musk deserves this $56 billion, or is it a case of "unfairly taking what's not rightfully his"? Share your thoughts in the comments section and join the discussion!”
