According to Microsoft’s latest proxy filing, the company’s CEO, Satya Nadella, received a 22% increase in his pay package from the previous year.
The CEO, with ten years of leadership at the company, received a record $96.5 million for fiscal 2025, an increase from $79 million in 2024.
Most of Nadella’s compensation, approximately $84.2 million, was due to stock awards linked to Microsoft’s market value during the AI boom. He also received a $9.5 million cash bonus, a $2.5 million base salary, and roughly $196,000 in other benefits.
In fiscal 2024, Nadella’s pay increased by 63%, rising from $48.5 million the previous year, with 90% of his compensation derived from stock awards.
The generous payout coincides with Microsoft’s stock price rising by 23% in 2025, outpacing the S&P 500’s 15% increase, and its shares more than doubling over the last three years.
Earlier this year, Nadella attracted attention when he wrote a memo to employees, mentioning that the removal of over 15,000 employees in 2025 had “been weighing heavily” on him.
According to Microsoft’s Board, the company’s strong financial results “demonstrate that Satya Nadella and his leadership team have positioned Microsoft as a clear artificial intelligence leader for this generational technology shift.”
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
