While the biggest companies often grab headlines, a surprising trend is emerging in executive compensation. A recent report by C-Suite Comp, a data firm tracking leader pay, reveals that some CEOs at smaller tech and financial firms are outpacing the bigwigs of Apple, Blackstone, and other Fortune 500 giants.
Nikesh Arora, the Indian-origin CEO of Palo Alto Networks is among the 10 ten CEOs. Arora’s impressive compensation of $151.43 million in 2023 landed him the fourth spot on the list of highest-paid US CEOs by C-Suite Comp, a data analytics firm that tracks leaders’ compensation at nearly 4,000 publicly traded U.S. companies.
This feat is even more remarkable considering Arora’s company isn’t a household name compared to Apple or Google. His rise highlights the growing importance of performance-driven compensation in the tech industry.
Arora’s rise is particularly inspiring for Indian audiences. He completed his primary education in Delhi before going on to earn a prestigious engineering degree from IIT-BHU.
C-Suite Comp offers two rankings: “total compensation granted” and “compensation actually paid.” The latter considers fluctuations in stock options, which can significantly impact a CEO’s total package.
While Elon Musk reigns supreme on the “actually paid” list with a staggering $1.4 billion thanks to Tesla’s stock performance, Jon Winkelried of TPG tops the list with $198.7 million in total granted compensation in 2023. In mid-June, Tesla shareholders approved reinstating Musk’s 10-year pay plan, valued at approximately $44.9 billion.
This focus on both granted and actualized compensation highlights the complexities of executive pay. Recent regulations by the Securities and Exchange Commission requiring companies to disclose projected CEO earnings aim to bring more transparency to this often opaque area.
This listing story sheds light on the changing landscape of CEO compensation in the US. It’s a space where performance and innovation, not just company size, are increasingly determining how much CEOs take home.
Among the 21 CEOs ranked by C-Suite Comp, two are women: Sue Nabi of Coty, with $149 million in total compensation granted, and Safra Catz of Oracle, with $304 million in compensation actually paid.