Who Were The Top Earning CEOs In 2017?

By on May 20, 2018 in ArticlesCelebrity News

This may not come as a surprise to many, but CEOs; especially those who head S&P 500 companies, make a lot of money. But which CEOs made the most money last year? Check out the list below to find out.

5. Steven Kaufer, CEO of TripAdvisor

2016 Compensation: $1.2 million

2017 Compensation: $47.9 million

The TripAdvisor CEO earned his largest paycheck to date in 2017. The boost in pay was the result of a compensation plan that was laid out back in 2011 when TripAdvisor held its initial public offering. Of the $47.9 million that Kaufer received last year, $46.9 million were stock options and stock units.

4. Jeff Bewkes, CEO of Time Warner

2016 Compensation: $32.6 million

2017 Compensation: $49 million

Like the aforementioned Steven Kaufer, Bewkes experienced a big bump in pay as a result of stock options. Just $2 million of the 65-year-old's 2017 compensation was salary.

3. W. Nicholas Howley, CEO of TransDigm

2016 Compensation: $18.9 million

2017 Compensation: $61 million

Howley, who is one of the co-founders of TransDigm and has served as the company's CEO since 2005, experienced a large pay increase last year. It remains to be seen if his compensation will remain the same in 2018, after it was announced last month that Howley will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, with Kevin Stein becoming the CEO.

2. Leslie Moonves, CEO of CBS

2016 Compensation: $69.6 million

2017 Compensation: $69.3 million

While Moonves is the only CEO on this list to be paid less in 2017 than he was in 2016, the CBS shot caller still made enough to land on the No. 2 spot on this list. Of the $69.3 million Moonves made, $20 million consisted of a bonus, and $43.7 million consisted of stock awards and options. 

 1. Hock Tan, CEO of Broadcom

(Martin H. Simon – Pool/Getty Images)

2016 Compensation: $24.7 million

2017 Compensation: $103.2 million

Like many other CEOs on this list, only a minor portion of Tan's compensation came from his base salary ($1.1 million). Tan earned a whopping $98.3 million from shares that Broadcam gave to him, in addition to $3.7 million for surpassing revenue and operating margin targets.

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