Mumbai: The earnings of top corporate executives in the country have reached a new height. According to Deloitte India’s latest ‘Executive Performance and Reward Survey’ report, the average salary of India’s Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) has reached Rs 10 crore in 2025. This shows a significant increase of 13 percent compared to last year. But this figure does not just tell the story of fixed salary—the report also reveals that 60 percent of the total earnings of the CEO is linked to their performance. Is this change a sign of a new direction in corporate culture? Let’s go deeper into it.

Salary structure: More dependent on performance than fixed

Deloitte’s report shows that only 40 percent of the CEOs in the country have a fixed salary, while the remaining 60 percent is based on their company’s performance, strategic goals and financial results. This trend is not only limited to CEOs, but is also visible in other top positions. Positions such as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Security Officer (CSO) have also seen a 7 to 11 per cent increase in salary. 60 per cent of the total salary for these positions is fixed, while 40 per cent is given in the form of short-term and long-term incentives.

Anand Sharma, partner, Deloitte India, says, “Companies are now expecting concrete results from leadership. The growing trend of performance-based pay shows that accountability in the boardroom has become more important than ever.” He believes that this change is part of the strategy to keep companies ahead in global competition.

Survey scope: 400 companies investigated

This report is part of Deloitte India’s sixth ‘Executive Performance Reward Survey’, which was launched in September 2024. More than 400 private companies participated in it, which are associated with diverse sectors like technology, manufacturing, financial services and retail. The special thing is that no government company was included in it, that is, this survey presents a picture of the leadership of the private sector as a whole. The purpose of the survey was to understand how companies evaluate the performance of their top officials and what strategy they adopt to reward them.

Increasing trend of stock-based incentives

Another interesting thing has come out from the report – companies are now giving more emphasis on stock-based incentives (ESOPs). This change is being seen especially when the global economy is facing uncertainty. Deloitte’s report says, “Due to the reduction in financial and strategic goals, companies are giving less cash incentives than in previous years. Instead, leadership is being linked to the future of the company through stock options.” This strategy not only keeps the officials tied to the company for a long time, but also gives priority to the interests of shareholders. COO and CFO earnings: Highest after CEO
The highest paid positions after CEO include COO and CFO, whose average salary is around Rs 4 crore per annum. These figures show that the importance of officers handling operations and financial strategy in companies is constantly increasing. A corporate analyst said on the condition of anonymity, “Amidst the global recession and market challenges, companies expect stability and growth from their COO and CFO. The increase in their earnings is the result of this.”

Rising salaries in economic recession: questions and possibilities
When economies around the world are under pressure, the increase in the salaries of top officials in India is a big news in itself. But the question also arises whether this increase will reach the common employees? Delhi economist Professor Anil Mehta says, “The increase in the salary of CEOs and top officials underlines economic inequality. However, if it improves the performance of companies, then its benefits can reach down.” He believes that the trend of stock-based incentives will become stronger in the future.

The new picture of corporate India
This report by Deloitte not only gives a glimpse of the earnings of top executives, but also highlights the changing values ​​in corporate India. The growing trend of performance-based pay and stock incentives indicates that companies are now moving towards balancing risk and reward. Will this strategy make India stronger in the global market? Or will it be limited to filling the pockets of a select few? These questions depend on the future economic scenario, but for now this report brings out the new reality of corporate leadership.