Executives like this remind me of Harry Ellis in the first "Die Hard" movie. He was the sleazy Nakatomi executive who assumed he could flash a saccharine smile, keep saying "babe", and negotiate between Hans and McClane for the return of the detonators. McClane refuses to return them, causing Gruber to execute Ellis. Couldn't have happened to a nicer douchebag.
I agree.
It wasn’t the refusal. They executed him because they thought they were friends and they wanted McClane to be hurt and broken. Maybe if he returned the detonators he’d have lived a bit longer but McClane knew they would both be dead.
Still an apt comparison.