These are the highest-paid CEOs in the US and you wouldn’t guess who’s number 1

In 2023, the upper echelons of corporate America saw record compensation figures, with Broadcom CEO Hock Tan topping the charts. His 2023 pay package was valued at a whopping $161.8 million, marking a significant increase over previous years.

This surge in executive pay highlights the increasingly lucrative rewards at the top of major corporations, as reported by Equilar, which tracks executive compensation data.

Stock awards driving high compensation

While these numbers are eye-popping, it’s important to note that much of the compensation for these top CEOs comes in the form of stock awards, which are often contingent on meeting performance milestones.

This reflects a trend in how companies aim to align the interests of their top executives with those of shareholders.

Median CEO pay package up 11.4% from last year

Midway through this year’s proxy season, data shows that the median compensation package for CEOs of companies with revenues exceeding $1 billion has risen to $23.7 million—an 11.4% increase from the previous year.

This upward trend in CEO pay packages is more pronounced than last year’s 7.7% increase at the same point in time.

High-profile CEOs and their earnings

Not all high-paid CEOs are at the very top of the earnings list, with well-known figures like Apple’s Tim Cook and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella ranking 6th and 9th, respectively.

Cook’s compensation was valued at $63.2 million, while Nadella’s was at $48.5 million.

Despite not being at the very top, their substantial earnings reflect significant roles in globally influential companies.

Corporate revenue vs. CEO pay ratios

The report also highlights the disparity in pay ratios between CEOs and average workers, which has been a point of contention in discussions about income inequality.

For instance, Coty CEO Sue Nabi’s pay ratio stands at 3,769 to 1, reflecting a vast gap between executive and worker earnings.

Here’s a list of some of the highest-paid CEOs in the U.S. along with their earnings for 2023:

• Hock Tan, Broadcom – $161.8 million
• Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto Networks – $151.4 million
• Sue Nabi, Coty – $149.4 million
• Christopher Winfrey, Charter Communications – $89.1 million
• Will Lansing, FICO – $66.3 million
• Tim Cook, Apple – $63.2 million
• Jay Chaudhry, Zscaler – $57.8 million
• Hamid Moghadam, Prologis – $50.9 million
• Satya Nadella, Microsoft – $48.5 million
• Shantanu Narayen, Adobe – $44.9 million

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