
What a CEO can really be worth
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai's compensation package (700 Mio. $/year) is split into cash and stock.
- It raises fundamental questions about CEO compensation: Who owns the company? External CEO vs. founder? How to design fair pay?
- A CEO needs some cash component to cover living expenses; pure stock compensation is difficult.
- Warren Buffett opposes giving employees stock – he prefers they buy it themselves (optional).
- Personal experience (Cake): Employees could convert part of their salary into stock at a discounted valuation – creating commitment.
- For very wealthy CEOs, financial incentives alone may not retain them – but 700 million is highly motivating.
- The key question is the split between cash and stock.
- For startups, equity compensation can be measured as a percentage of company value (e.g., 10% for a €1M valuation).
- CEOs who refuse a salary – how do they live? That raises questions.
- Public outrage over 700M is understandable, but the alternative (the CEO leaving) might be costlier.
Conclusion: Sundar Pichai will likely prove his worth to Google – the amount may seem exorbitant, but it's part of a complex compensation system.






