'Obscene' | Execs are lobbying for more pay, but is CEO remuneration actually out of control?

Most people could only dream of earning £15million in a single year. It’s an astronomical amount of money from which, even the most lavish of lifestyles is not off limits.

However it seems that, even in a time when the median UK annual pay packet sits at around £34,963 for the average full-time employee, the prospect of £15million isn’t enough to entice some executives. In fact, some companies are worried that this paltry amount could in fact lead to top talent being poached.

Pascal Soriot of AstraZeneca, hailed as the best-paid FTSE 100 boss, received a jaw-dropping £17million in 2023 alone, contributing to cumulative earnings of £137million since 2012.

This sounds like an incredible amount, however in comparison to US counterparts like Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, who earned a staggering $226million (around £176million) in 2023, the consensus among some Boards is that the earning potential elsewhere could be a key factor in luring CEOs elsewhere.