In 2022, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, received $226 million in total remuneration, the majority of which came in the form of stock awards, according to a securities report that the company submitted. The CEO’s annual salary was $2 million from 2020 to 2022, and his compensation package included almost $6 million for personal security in 2022. Pichai’s compensation was significantly higher than that of other Alphabet and Google principal executives, and it has sparked criticism. Nonetheless, his leadership has led Alphabet to success in the tech industry, with a market cap of over $1.5 trillion.
In 2022, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, received a total pay of $226 million, according to a securities report the company submitted on Friday. Pichai received $218 million in equity as part of a triennial stock grant, which made up the majority of his pay-in-stock awards. In addition, the document states that Pichai received a $2 million yearly salary from 2020 to 2022.
According to the source, Pichai’s remuneration package reportedly included about $6 million for personal security in 2022. Alphabet paid for the CEO’s security expenses as part of his remuneration package, as is customary for prominent executives.
In comparison to other Alphabet and Google principal executives, Pichai’s compensation was significantly higher. According to the filing, other executives received approximately $22 million to $35 million in annual stock awards, with Pichai receiving over six times that amount.
The report detailing Pichai’s compensation comes at a time when Alphabet is implementing cost restructuring measures, including layoffs in January that eliminated 12,000 workers, or 6% of its workforce. Google’s finance chief, Ruth Porat, announced earlier in April that the company would be cutting back on employee laptops and services to further reduce costs.
Despite these cost-cutting measures, Pichai’s compensation package is still one of the highest in the tech industry. This has led to some criticism, with some arguing that the CEO’s compensation is disproportionate to his actual contributions to the company.
Pichai’s defenders, though, emphasize how he led Alphabet through a challenging period of expansion and innovation. Pichai has presided over the company’s entry into new areas throughout his time as CEO, including cloud computing and artificial intelligence. In recent years, user security and data privacy have grown to be key problems for tech companies, and he has spearheaded efforts to solve these challenges.
Regardless of one’s views on Pichai’s compensation, it is clear that his leadership has had a significant impact on Alphabet’s overall success. The company’s stock price has more than tripled since Pichai became CEO in 2015, and it currently has a market cap of over $1.5 trillion.
Looking ahead, it remains to be seen how Alphabet will continue to navigate the challenges of the tech industry in the years to come. However, with Pichai at the helm, the company appears well-positioned to continue its growth and innovation in the years ahead.
