Research, page-2033

I honestly doubt AF sees it this way as you imply; as being indifferent as to a reduction in value of his massive shareholding and to whether or not the company succeeds.

He's worked so hard in the last 10 years or is to invent the technology and get the company to where it is, poised for growth (his peers and partners can attest to his work ethic). For this time and effort alone, he deserved being rewarded in value through equity. He's also spoken about his financial struggles to get the company to where it is now, including mortgages and other debts taken on and selling house.

Equity in the company, whether purchased or otherwise, issued for performance / services rendered is designed to motivate most company executives to grow the company. I suspect it would hurt for AF to see this equity value fall given all the hard work done to earn this equity.

The alternative is he could have taken some or all of that equity and invested it elsewhere if he didn't believe in its future (the opportunity cost). He's not done that. The value of his shares today in a bank account would earn him almost $2m p.a at say 5%, risk free.

On salary, he deserves to command a good salary for the amount of hours he works - I'm sure insanely more hours than us on here - to grow shareholder value, in the same way that other company's deserve to get CEO (many other company executives get paid much more to achieve much less).