Microsoft’s chief government Satya Nadella earned $79.1m (£61m) final yr, an increase of 63% in comparison with his compensation the yr earlier than.
That was regardless of a request from Mr Nadella to cut back one factor of his pay bundle due to cybersecurity flaws on the tech big – which resulted in him getting $5m lower than he in any other case would have.
In frequent with many tech corporations, Microsoft has reduce hundreds of jobs this yr, together with many in its gaming division.
However in a proxy statement filed with the US monetary regulator, the board mentioned the corporate’s income grew by 16% within the yr to 30 June 2024.
“Mr. Nadella agreed that the Firm’s efficiency was extraordinarily sturdy,” Microsoft’s compensation committee wrote in a letter to shareholders.
It added he requested them “to contemplate departing from the established efficiency metrics and cut back his money incentive to replicate his private accountability” over numerous cyber assaults.
One such assault was reported in July 2023 by Microsoft, the place hackers gained entry to the e-mail accounts of round 25 organisations, together with authorities companies.
Microsoft mentioned the assault originated in China, although the Chinese language embassy in London known as this “disinformation”.
The fiscal interval runs as much as 30 June 2024 – simply weeks earlier than the massive internet outage which affected Microsoft Home windows PCs, inflicting chaos all over the world.
Whereas that was not a cyber assault, later in July Microsoft apologised for another outage which was attributable to a cyber assault.
The compensation committee mentioned it decreased Mr Nadella’s money pay by greater than half, to $5.2m.
That represents lower than 7% of his complete pay.
The majority of his pay, $71.2m, was made up of inventory choices.
Excessive Pay Centre director Luke Hildyard mentioned “superficially” the earnings made sense given Microsoft’s sturdy monetary efficiency.
“Nonetheless, we’d additionally ask whether or not the additional $79 million on high of $49 million final yr for somebody who’s already value a whole lot of tens of millions, with more cash than they may spent over a number of lifetimes of absolute luxurious, is admittedly mandatory as a reward of incentive,” he instructed the BBC.
“None of Microsoft’s success could be potential with out employees, prospects and wider society so maybe the proceeds of that success ought to be share a little bit extra evenly,” he added.
Elsewhere in huge tech, Apple boss Tim Cook dinner earned $63.2m in 2023, whereas the chief government of the world’s most beneficial firm Nvidia, Jensen Huang, was paid $34.2m within the 2024 fiscal yr.
However none of them come near Tesla boss Elon Musk, whose pay packet might be value up to $56bn.
