Woman tops CEOs' pay list for first time
It has been a long time coming, but a woman has topped the ranks of CEO pay for the first time, according to the Australian Financial Review’s annual survey, prepared by data company OpenDirector.
Macquarie CEO Shemara Wikramanayake is Australia's highest paid CEO after receiving more than $18 million. Best performing CEO, based on shareholder returns over the past financial year, was Fortescue Metals CEO Elizabeth Gaines. She was ranked 33 for CEO pay on more than $5 million.
The survey reveals that the salaries of CEOs at the big banks have nosedived and that mining, property and healthcare CEOs now dominate the list.
Only four women made the top 50 and ‘just’ five CEOs cracked the $10 million mark.
Greg Goodman, founder of property group Goodman, ranked second on $12.8 million, CSL chief Paul Perrault received $11.7 million, outgoing Treasury Wine CEO Michael Clarke $11.4 million and outgoing BHP boss Andrew Mackenzie $10.54 million.
The figures are based on total statutory pay reported in the latest annual reports, which includes the accounting value of shares and options in the year they are granted. This is in contrast with realised pay, which includes the actual value of shares and options vested in that year.
Total remuneration for the top 50 CEOs increased by four per cent on average, compared to general wage growth of 2.2 per cent.
The survey reports that Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci, who has been under fire over wage theft, saw his pay rise almost 20 per cent to $7.7 million. But overall, “CEO pay has remained relatively modest”, says the survey.
Nice story, pity the real statistics were omitted. How many CEO's are female? Latest statistics show that there are 14 in the ASX/200 listed companies which is 7%, so if 4 females made the top 50 that equates to 8%. Congratulations to Shemara Wikramanayake for her achievement.