History Main / CorruptCorporateExecutive

Though there are earlier examples, the modern Corrupt Corporate Executive had (until relatively recently) a distinctly TheEighties feel (due to the influence of {{Cyberpunk}}, which made him seem progressively more out of place as those affectations become less mainstream. Earlier Corrupt Corporate Executives tended to be far less stylized and distinct from other "smooth" villain types (often with a healthy streak of [[Characters/JamesBondBlofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld]]). However, starting with the TurnOfTheMillennium onwards, countless high profile real-life cases of corporate corruption have arguably diminished the '80s feel of the character and made the Corrupt Corporate Executive a very modern villain—particularly with the rise in the last decade of the TechBro subtype. See the [[Analysis/CorruptCorporateExecutive analysis page]] for more discussion of the variations of Corrupt Corporate Execs that show up in media.

This is one of the inevitable progressions that any {{ambitio|nIsEvil}}us character will end in. See Also ThereAreNoGoodExecutives. Occasionally, the CCE will be the producer of an ImmoralRealityShow. If the executive is a caricature of a certain someone with [[UsefulNotes/DonaldFlorida Man fake poofy hair and lives in a giant tower]], then that is a {{Florida Manlica}}.

Though there are earlier examples, the modern Corrupt Corporate Executive had (until relatively recently) a distinctly TheEighties feel, which made him seem progressively more out of place as those affectations become less mainstream. Earlier Corrupt Corporate Executives tended to be far less stylized and distinct from other "smooth" villain types (often with a healthy streak of [[Characters/JamesBondBlofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld]]). However, starting with the TurnOfTheMillennium onwards, countless high profile real-life cases of corporate corruption have arguably diminished the '80s feel of the character and made the Corrupt Corporate Executive a very modern villain—particularly with the rise in the last decade of the TechBro subtype. See the [[Analysis/CorruptCorporateExecutive analysis page]] for more discussion of the variations of Corrupt Corporate Execs that show up in media.

This is one of the inevitable progressions that any {{ambitio|nIsEvil}}us character will end in. See Also ThereAreNoGoodExecutives. Occasionally, the CCE will be the producer of an ImmoralRealityShow. If the executive is a caricature of a certain someone with [[UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump fake poofy hair and lives in a giant tower]], then that is a {{Trumplica}}.

->''"Excellent job! Now to restructure the banking system so that we will be able to rob the shirts off of poor people...uh, I mean, to invest prudently and generate wealth that will trickle down."''

* Wrestling/StevieRichards played it for laughs when he was the self-appointed General Manager of ''[[{{BShow}} Sunday Night Heat]]'', which he had renamed ''Stevie Night Heat'' and was supposedly the head of "[=StevieCorp.=]" His CatchPhrase for this was "ALL STEVIE! ALL NIGHT! NOTHING BUT HEAT!"

** [[DarkChick Curious]] was the executive director of Shoowaysha [[BitingTheHandHumor (Shueisha)]] Publishing and used her authority to disseminate MLA propaganda across Japan.

* ''Webcomic/{{Vexxarr}}'' used "[[http://www.vexxarr.com/archive.php?seldate=121905 Is this the same Sony that..?]]" query for EvenEvilHasStandards joke.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Weiss Schnee's father, Jacques, is one. In Volume 1, Blake states that the Schnee Dust Company is infamous for its poor labor laws and questionable business partners. In Volume 2, Weiss admits that under her father's control, the company has gone in a "Morally grey" direction. In Volume 4's World of Remnant segment on the Schnee Dust Company, Qrow states that Jacques has made the SDC more profitable than ever, but at the cost of its soul, and employs in constant PR scams to stay in power. During Volume 5, Weiss even stated that Jacques stated he only married her mother for the Schnee family name and the company itself. [[spoiler:Among the people who were victims of the company under Jacques' leadership were Illia Amitola's parent's who died in a mining accident with her human friends laughing at it causing her to join the White Fang and Adam Taurus who's face was branded with the company's "'''S.D.C'''" logo.]] Following a dust embargo placed by Ironwood, Jacques considers running for a seat on the Kingdom's council while considering laying off most of his workers before deciding against it since he needed their votes to win the council seat. [[spoiler:Arthur Watts helps Jacques with both by rigging the seat in his favor so Jacques can lay them off without consequence.]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Weiss Schnee's father, Jacques, is one. In Volume 1, Blake states that the Schnee Dust Company is infamous for its poor labor laws and questionable business partners. In Volume 2, Weiss admits that under her father's control, the company has gone in a "Morally grey" direction. In Volume 4's World of Remnant segment on the Schnee Dust Company, Qrow states that Jacques has made the SDC more profitable than ever, but at the cost of its soul, and employs in constant PR scams to stay in power. During Volume 5, Weiss even stated that Jacques stated he only married her mother for the Schnee family name and the company itself. [[spoiler:Among the people who were victims of the company under Jacques' leadership were Illia Amitola's parent's who died in a mining accident with her human friends laughing at it causing her to join the white fang and Adam Taurus who's face was branded with the company logo.]] Following a dust embargo placed by Ironwood, Jacques considers running for a seat on the Kingdom's council while considering laying off most of his workers before deciding against it since he needed their votes to win the council seat. [[spoiler:Arthur Watts helps Jacques with both by rigging the seat in his favor so Jacques can lay them off without consequence.]]

* Guilder Worlin in the third book of ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: Literature/GauntsGhosts'', who doesn't hesitate to murder anyone who gets wind of his illegal operations and inadvertently [[spoiler: leaves the door open for an invasion of the city.]]

* Mr. Gilbert Huph in the ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''. He is an insurance exec who is determined to deny as many insurance claims as he can, regardless of how legitimate they are as per their customers' contracts. So, if Bob Parr really wanted to strike back at this bully, he could remember that Huph is making himself liable for a major Breach of Contract lawsuit.

* Tina Johnson From ''WebOriginal/WelcomeToMountport''Is a wealthy business woman who is self-admittiedly destined to be mean and finds it to be fun. In fact it's stated that Tina uses cheap construction Materials in the building of her Skyscraper out of pure spite for local building regulations.

Expect to find them at the head of an enormous boardroom table on the top floor of an EvilTowerOfOminousness. He may be a BadBoss, but not always. A few of them can actually be very decent employers, with employees who are completely in the dark about their underhanded plans. If so, the public [[VillainWithGoodPublicity is often just as much in the dark]]. Naturally, this sort of villain tends to have an AmoralAttorney (or several) on his payroll to keep the authorities off his back, in case he does slip up, and a small stormtrooper army of "[[{{Mooks}} security personnel]]" who have carte blanche to "[[DeadlyEuphemism deal with problems"]], dispose of evidence of wrongdoing and commit violent crimes to get a good performance evaluation from the boss. If those resources fail, [[EveryManHasHisPrice he often uses money to "buy" or even "own" officials.]]

Expect to find them at the head of an enormous boardroom table on the top floor of an EvilTowerOfOminousness. He may be a BadBoss, but not always. A few of them can actually be very decent employers, with employees who are completely in the dark about their underhanded plans. If so, the public [[VillainWithGoodPublicity is often just as much in the dark]]. Naturally, this sort of villain tends to have an AmoralAttorney (or several) on his payroll, in case he does slip up, and a small stormtrooper army of "[[{{Mooks}} security personnel]]" who have carte blanche to commit any number and kind of violent crimes to get a good performance evaluation from the boss. If those resources fail, [[EveryManHasHisPrice he often uses money to "buy" or even "own" officials.]]

See also the CorruptPolitician and the MorallyBankruptBanker, his drinking buddies, and the AmoralAttorney, a brigade of whom will be found on his payroll. A CCE will either be in regular contact with the local DiabolicalMastermind or (if particularly organised, competent, and disinterested in petty matters of legality) will be one himself. Compare GreedyJew and PointyHairedBoss. Contrast HonestCorporateExecutive, the CCE's natural enemy. But remember that sometimes, EvenEvilHasStandards (and/or [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes Loved Ones]]), especially in a WhatYouAreInTheDark situation.

A senior manager, CEO or owner of a major definitely-for-profit corporation who is out to [[{{Greed}} make as much money and gain as much power]] as possible, by [[TheUnfettered any means available, regardless of who suffers]]. To that end, they are perfectly willing to violate business or social ethics, commit crimes (ranging from fraudulent accounting to mass murder), and [[ToxicInc devastate Mother Nature]] and human communities, justifying those actions under the name of "just business." They are confident that all they have to do is [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney spread enough money around to get their way or avoid punishment,]] and are very likely to cross the MoralEventHorizon in their search for profit. They are also very, very likely to be White (or Asian) and male, like [=CEOs=] in real life.

* Satoru Kanzaki of ''Manga/{{Area 88}}'' becomes one of these after he takes over Yamato Airlines. Among other things, he was instrumental in adopting a very shoddily built new airliner.
* Extensively referenced in the CyberPunk series ''Anime/BubblegumCrisis'', where not only are GENOM's executives corrupt, but also controlling both the police and local government via a GovernmentConspiracy. The BigBad, Quincy, is the head of the corporation who does everything in the name of profit, while [[TheDragon Brian J Mason]], another high-ranking executive, is even worse; he bought a housing complex, evicted all the residents (including Priss) and leveled it so Genom could develop the property into another of their research facilities, [[spoiler:even after being told someone was still inside at the time. Oh, and years prior to that, [[YouKilledMyFather he murdered Sylia's Father too]]]].
* [[BigBad Sir Isaac Ray Peram Westcott]] in ''LightNovel/DateALive'' is the Managing Director of Deus.Ex.Machina Industries. On one hand, he was the one who invented the Realizers. On the other hand, he wants to seek and harness all of Spirit powers so he can plunge the whole world in chaos and destruction.

* ''LightNovel/RebuildWorld'': CyberPunk {{Dystopia}} variant. TheAlliance of MegaCorp have absolute power in the country in which protagonist Akira lives, with their PropagandaMachine disguising the various company's frequent FalseFlagOperation strife. Most of the bad corporate schemes are shown at the local level.

* The BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheMovie'', Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck. He is the CEO of Future Tech Industries and the descendant of a commanding redcoat during the Revolutionary War who plots to have Arnold's neighborhood, where a significant battle occurred that the colonists won against his family, demolished so that he can make room for a new shopping center and reclaim it in the name of his family, even going as far as to [[FieryCoverUp burn]] [[DestroyTheEvidence the vital government document]] revealing the truth about his ancestors and declaring the neighborhood a national historic landmark [[EngineeredPublicConfession in front of Arnold and Gerald]] so nobody can stop his evil plan. [[spoiler:However, Scheck's decision to destroy the document [[DidntThinkThisThrough comes back to bite him right in his ass]] due to the whole thing having been CaughtOnTape [[HoistByHisOwnPetard by his own surveillance cameras]], [[BigBrotherIsWatching mounted everywhere in his building]], and the document was shown as clear as possible before he burned it. The boys manage to obtain a videotape of Scheck's crimes and show them to the infuriated townspeople, resulting in his eventual [[PutOnAPrisonBus arrest]].]]

* The BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnoldTheMovie'', Alphonse Perrier du von Scheck. He is the CEO of Future Tech Industries and the descendant of a commanding redcoat during the Revolutionary War who plotted to have the neighborhood where a significant battle occurred that the colonists won against his family demolished so that he can replace it with a mall complex and reclaim it in the name of his family, even going as far as to [[FieryCoverUp burn]] [[DestroyTheEvidence the vital government document]] revealing the truth about his ancestors and declaring the neighborhood a national historic landmark [[EngineeredPublicConfession in front of Arnold and Gerald]] so nobody can stop his evil plan. [[spoiler:However, Scheck's decision to destroy the document [[DidntThinkThisThrough comes back to bite him right in his ass]] due to the whole thing having been CaughtOnTape [[HoistByHisOwnPetard by his own surveillance cameras]], [[BigBrotherIsWatching mounted everywhere in his building]], and the document was shown as clear as possible before he burned it. The boys manage to obtain a videotape of Scheck's crime and show it to the infuriated townspeople, resulting in his eventual [[PutOnAPrisonBus arrest]].]]

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Weiss Schnee's father, Jacques, is one. In Volume 1, Blake states that the Schnee Dust Company is infamous for its poor labor laws and questionable business partners. In Volume 2, Weiss admits that under her father's control, the company has gone in a "Morally grey" direction. In Volume 4's World of Remnant segment on the Schnee Dust Company, Qrow states that Jacques has made the SDC more profitable than ever, but at the cost of its soul, and employs in constant PR scams to stay in power.

They usually [[FridgeLogic fail to consider]] the [[DidntThinkThisThrough full effects of their plan]], or the fact that [[CutLexLuthorACheck they can make more by going legit]], and at times the plan [[MissingStepsPlan seems to have no concrete way of creating wealth.]] Usually, they remain in business thanks to OffscreenVillainDarkMatter. Expect them to butt heads with fellows executiveswhen their plans give the business a P.R. headache.

Though there are earlier examples, the modern Corrupt Corporate Executive had (until relatively recently) a distinctly TheEighties feel, which made him seem progressively more out of place as those affectations become less mainstream. Earlier Corrupt Corporate Executives tended to be far less stylized and distinct from other "smooth" villain types (often with a healthy streak of [[Characters/JamesBondBlofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld]]). However, starting with the TurnOfTheMillennium onwards, countless high profile real-life cases of corporate corruption have arguably diminished the '80s feel of the character and made the Corrupt Corporate Executive a very modern villain—particularly with the rise in the last decade of the TechBro subtype. See the [[Analysis/CorruptCorporateExecutive analysis page for more discussion of the variations of Corrupt Corporate Execs that show up in media.

They usually [[FridgeLogic fail to consider]] the [[DidntThinkThisThrough full effects of their plan]], or the fact that [[CutLexLuthorACheck they can make more by going legit]], and at times the plan [[MissingStepsPlan seems to have no concrete way of creating wealth.]] Usually, they remain in business thanks to OffscreenVillainDarkMatter. Expect them to [[DraggedToTheBoardOfDirectors butt heads with fellows executives]] when their plans give the business a P.R. headache.

Though there are earlier examples, the modern Corrupt Corporate Executive had (until relatively recently) a distinctly TheEighties feel, which made him seem progressively more out of place as those affectations become less mainstream. Earlier Corrupt Corporate Executives tended to be far less stylized and distinct from other "smooth" villain types (often with a healthy streak of [[Characters/JamesBondBlofeld Ernst Stavro Blofeld]]). However, starting with the TurnOfTheMillennium onwards, countless high profile real-life cases of corporate corruption have arguably diminished the '80s feel of the character and made the Corrupt Corporate Executive a very modern villain—particularly with the rise in the last decade of the TechBro subtype (see below).

A well-known variation of the CCE, which is popular in {{dystopia}}n and CyberPunk fiction, is the CEO or President of a [[MegaCorp megacorporation]] that [[AcmeProducts produces and]] controls everything [[LawEnforcementInc (even the authorities)]] and is the de facto ruler of the world. Similarly powerful [=CCEs=] are popular villains in superhero stories, as an explanation for why you need costumed vigilantes rather than ordinary police in the first place (because the local/national government works for the CCE, not the public).

Another variation of the CCE is the Robber Baron, a pre-80s, industrial revolution era manifestation that retains all of the CCE's cosmopolitan, far-reaching financial and political power, with perhaps even less governmental or media constraints to consider. Joseph Pulitzer, from the movie ''Film/{{Newsies}}'', is a perfect example of this subtrope. The Robber Baron will have a different wardrobe and jargon than the 80s CCE, as appropriate to his setting, but is otherwise indistinguishable.

Another variation on the CCE, found mostly in WalkingTheEarth series, is a business-owning SmallTownTyrant. The "corporations" they represent are not major multinational conglomerates, but small businesses like trucking companies, hotels, or other "mom and pop" ventures that simply want their competitors out of action. They tend to have little power outside of a single town or county, but can usually amass a small army of redneckish goons and threaten violence with impunity by virtue of paying off local law enforcement and/or the judiciary. (More so if they're literal public officials themselves: merely owning the business while in office can count toward this trope in jurisdictions where public officials are barred from even owning or managing them, in expectation that they will use public office for private gain.) This flavor of Corrupt Corporate Executive favors harassing a competing store owned by [[WastelandElder a kindly old man]]/woman and/or their family.

In the last decade a quintessentially 21st-century or modern variant of the CCE can be seen in the persona of the TechBro: entrepreneurs who started out as nerds or reclusive hackers, until they create radically new technological startups involving internet apps or social media networks—and then get insanely wealthy when they roll out their product to the world. Often seen as outwardly laid-back, playful, down-to-earth or rebellious and claiming to fight or destroy "the system" or eschew typical corporate offices in favour of places like {{Wacky Startup Workplace}}s, and even sometimes despite public-minded statements to the contrary, they can still be quite cold in their pursuit of profit and control in their own ways, including by manipulating partners to give them control or ownership of related tech businesses or intellectual property rights such as patents.

In the last decade a quintessentially 21st-century or modern variant of the CCE can be seen in the persona of the TechBro: entrepreneurs who started out perhaps as {{Hollywood Nerd}}s or reclusive hackers, until they create radically new technological startups involving internet apps or social media networks—and then get insanely wealthy when they roll out their product to the world. Often seen as outwardly laid-back, playful, down-to-earth or rebellious and claiming to fight or destroy "the system" or eschew typical corporate offices in favour of places like {{Wacky Startup Workplace}}s, and even sometimes despite public-minded statements to the contrary, they can still be quite cold in their pursuit of profit and control in their own ways, including by manipulating partners to give them control or ownership of related tech businesses or intellectual property rights such as patents.