Top 10 Highest-Paid CEOs in the World - 2025

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CEO compensation reached unprecedented levels, driven largely by substantial stock awards. According to Equilar's annual study, the median total compensation for CEOs at companies with over $1 billion in revenue rose to $25.6 million, marking a 9.5% increase from the previous year. Stock awards constituted approximately 73% of this total compensation, highlighting the growing emphasis on equity-based incentives.

The highest-paid CEO in the World

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Who are The Highest-Paid CEOs in the World?

1. Jim Anderson – Coherent Corp.

Jim Anderson

• Total Compensation: $101.5 million

• Base Salary: $1.06 million

• Stock Awards: Over $100 million

• Company: Coherent Corp.

• Age: 52

• Education: MBA and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT; M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota

• Career Highlights: Prior to joining Coherent in June 2024, Anderson served as CEO of Lattice Semiconductor and held senior roles at AMD. His appointment at Coherent led to a significant stock surge, adding nearly $2 billion in value to the company.

2. Brian Niccol – Starbucks

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol

• Total Compensation: $95.8 million

• Base Salary: $1.6 million

• Signing Bonus: $10 million

• Stock Awards: Approximately $75 million

• Company: Starbucks

• Age: 49

• Education: MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business

• Career Highlights: Niccol became CEO of Starbucks in September 2024 after successful tenures at Taco Bell and Chipotle Mexican Grill. His leadership at Chipotle saw the company's revenue double and profits increase sevenfold.

3. Satya Nadella – Microsoft

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

• Total Compensation: $79.1 million

• Base Salary: $2.5 million

• Stock Awards: $71.2 million

• Company: Microsoft

• Age: 56

• Education: MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business; M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology

• Career Highlights: Nadella has been instrumental in Microsoft's growth, emphasizing cloud computing and AI. In 2024, he requested a $5.5 million reduction in his cash incentive to account for cybersecurity breaches under his leadership.

4. Tim Cook – Apple Inc.

• Total Compensation: $74.6 million

• Base Salary: $3 million

• Bonus: $12 million

• Stock Awards: $58.1 million

• Company: Apple Inc.

• Age: 64

• Education: MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business; B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University

• Career Highlights: Cook has led Apple since 2011, overseeing the company's expansion into new product lines and services. His 2024 compensation marked an 18% increase from the previous year.

5. Bob Iger – The Walt Disney Company

• Total Compensation: $41.1 million

• Base Salary: $1 million

• Stock Awards: Majority of compensation

• Company: The Walt Disney Company

• Age: 73

• Education: B.S. in Television and Radio from Ithaca College

• Career Highlights: Iger returned as Disney's CEO in 2021, focusing on streaming services and preparing for a leadership succession plan set for 2026.

6. Jensen Huang – NVIDIA

• Total Compensation: $34.1 million

• Company: NVIDIA

• Age: 61

• Education: M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University

• Career Highlights: As co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA, Huang has been pivotal in the company's dominance in graphics processing and AI technologies.

7. Sumit Singh – Chewy, Inc.

Chewy CEO Sumit Singh

• Total Compensation: $35.1 million

• Company: Chewy, Inc.

• Age: 43

• Education: MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business; M.S. in Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin

• Career Highlights: Singh has led Chewy since 2018, steering the company through its IPO and expanding its market share in the pet e-commerce industry.

8. Marc Benioff – Salesforce

• Total Compensation: $55 million

• Company: Salesforce

• Age: 60

• Education: B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California

• Career Highlights: Benioff founded Salesforce in 1999, pioneering cloud-based CRM solutions and leading the company to become a global enterprise software leader.

9. Shantanu Narayen – Adobe Inc.

• Total Compensation: $52.4 million

• Company: Adobe Inc.

• Age: 61

• Education: MBA from the University of California, Berkeley; M.S. in Computer Science from Bowling Green State University; B.S. in Electronics Engineering from Osmania University

• Career Highlights: Narayen has been with Adobe since 1998, becoming CEO in 2007. He has overseen Adobe's transition to a subscription-based model and expansion into digital marketing.

10. Ted Sarandos – Netflix

• Total Compensation: $60 million

• Company: Netflix

• Age: 60

• Education: Attended Glendale Community College

• Career Highlights: Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, has been instrumental in the company's content strategy, leading to global expansion and original programming success.

Conclusion

These figures underscore the significant role stock awards play in executive compensation, reflecting a trend where CEOs' earnings are closely tied to company performance and shareholder value.

FAQs

Q1: Why do CEOs receive such high compensation?

A1: CEO compensation is often structured to align with company performance, with a significant portion coming from stock awards. This incentivizes CEOs to drive company growth and increase shareholder value.

Q2: How is CEO compensation determined?

A2: Compensation is typically set by a company's board of directors and compensation committee, considering factors like company performance, industry standards, and the CEO's experience and track record.

Q3: What is the role of stock awards in CEO compensation?

A3: Stock awards are a major component of CEO pay, tying their earnings to the company's stock performance. This encourages CEOs to focus on long-term growth and shareholder returns.

Q4: Are these compensation figures typical across all industries?

A4: Compensation varies by industry, company size, and performance. Technology and finance sectors often have higher CEO pay due to rapid growth and high market valuations.

Q5: How does CEO compensation impact company culture and employee morale?

A5: While high CEO pay can attract top talent, it can also lead to concerns about income disparity within a company. Transparent and fair compensation practices are essential to maintain employee morale.

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