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Top 10 highest-paid CEOs in the US for FY 2024-25: 4 Indian-origin CEOs in the list
Amid a highly volatile and uncertain environment driven by geopolitical and trade-tariff tensions, the chief executives (CEOs), the main business drivers of big corporations, are playing a significant role in navigating risks and making strategic decisions for profits and overall success.
Despite these pressures, the position is accompanied by highly lucrative compensation packages; last year, the CEOs' salary levels worldwide soared to unprecedented figures, driven by a mix of high base pay, lucrative stock options, and performance-based bonuses.
Last year, the CEO compensation among the largest U.S. companies continued to rise, with the median total pay package rising to $25.6 million, the annual Equilar 100 list reported, reflecting a 9.5% increase from the previous year; however, it was at a slower pace than the 11.4% growth recorded in 2023.
In 2024, the most significant driver of CEO pay growth was the rise in stock awards. Its median value rose to 40.5% year-on-year and $18.6 million, making up approximately 73% of the total median CEO compensation.
Furthermore, the 2025 Equilar 100 highlighted only six women on the list of highest-paid CEOs, with their median compensation at $24.5 million last year.
At the top of the overall list was Jim Anderson, the CEO of Coherent, whose total compensation amounted to $101.5 million. Following next is Starbucks' CEO, Brian Niccol, who assumed the role in September 2024, has a total compensation of $95.8 million.
For both, more than 90% of their compensation came from long-term equity awards.
In a notable mention, the list features four Indian-origin CEOs leading major U.S. companies: Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Nikesh Arora of Palo Alto Networks, Shantanu Narayen of Adobe, and Rajiv Ramaswami of Nutanix, highlighting the growing presence and impact of Indian-origin leaders in global business.
Source: 2025 Equilar 100 List
Methodology: The study provides an outlook of the largest CEO pay packages among U.S. companies with $1 billion or more in revenue by analysing companies that filed proxy statements by March 31, 2025—the midpoint of proxy season.
Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager - Content at The Indian Express. She is responsible for crafting compelling narratives, uncovering the latest news and developments, and driving engaging content based on data and trends to boost website traffic and audience engagement. One can connect with her on LinkedIn or by mail at ... Read More
