Microsoft Rewards CEO Satya Nadella with $71 Million Pay Package

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella enjoys a 63% increase in his fiscal 2024 compensation to US$79.1 million.

This increase in Nadella’s compensation is due to stock awards which rose from US$71 million in value, up from US$39 million in the same period last year. The hiked pay package is a result of Microsoft's market value surpassing US$3 trillion.

Strong Share Performance Amid AI Investments

Microsoft's shares went up by 31.2% during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2024. The generative AI market seems to be playing to the company's strengths as it made significant investments in OpenAI.

Cash Incentive Cut After Cybersecurity Leak

Sources reported that whereas the total remuneration of Nadella increases, his cash bonus was reduced to US$5.2 million from the possible US$10.7 million. He deducted on his own because he felt shaken by reports of numerous hacking incidents surfacing during the fiscal year.

Comparison with Other Tech Heads

During 2023, the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook received a compensation totaling US$63.2 million. Payouts in the amount of US$34.2 million were paid to Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia for fiscal 2024.

Thus, Satya Nadella’s salary is the highest among the three, showcasing Microsoft’s strong growth.