you have a VERY legal fiduciary duty toward your investors. When investors pay money for public stock, and then the CEO does something manifestly stupid to tank that stock, the investors have legal recourse for that breech of fiduciary duty.
In other words, it’s a tort. And all three “legs” of the “tort stool” are there: A) a duty to act in the best interests of the investors, B) there was a violation of that duty, and C) there are damages that are directly tied to the breach–the injury would not have happened “but for” the breach of fiduciary duty.
Investors rightfully expected the CEO to do things that would improve their financial stock position. When he or she doesn’t because of decisions that are obviously based on factors other than profit and then things go south, investors legally deserve to be made whole.
SO, A) the person owned stock and the CEO thus entered into a fiduciary relationship with him or her, B) Bud Light violated that duty by going “woke,” and C) the person lost a lot of money on the stock and they wouldn’t have “but for” that breach of duty. Yep, all three legs of the “tort stool” are there.
Legally, one just has to prove “B)” in order to prevail. Not a slam dunk, but not a half-court shot, either.
Yes, Being CEO carries some risks and responsibilities that come with it, risks and responsibilities that “worker bees” just don’t have.