Didnt you get the memo? William Earle might be a competent businessman but hes also an enormous tool, and one clearly created for the audience to hate. His condescension to Bruce upon his return is remarkable and it's clear that he wants the scion of Wayne Enterprises nowhere near the boardroom. Beyond his mannerisms, easily his most despicable act was his unceremonious firing of Lucius Fox. Seemingly carried out because of personal feelings as opposed to business reasons, Earle appears to relish telling Fox that hes finished. And while it may make fiscal sense to close down Applied Sciences, it doesnt really matter to audiences when he does it with such an attitude. Like any properly annoying villain, however, Earle was destined for some very sweet comeuppance. In the conclusion of the film, Bruce Wayne calls him to reveal hes bought the majority of the public stocks and placed Fox in charge of the company. They get the last laugh as Fox gets to use Earles line right back at him, didnt you get the memo?