An average Indian CEO now earns ₹10cr per year: Deloitte
What's the story
The median annual pay for non-promoter Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in India has hit ₹10 crore, a 13% increase from last year. The latest Deloitte India Executive Performance and Rewards Survey 2025 revealed this information. The survey also shows that other C-level executives like Chief Operating Officers (COOs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs), Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), and Chief Security Officers (CSOs) have also seen their pay rise by 7-11%.
Pay breakdown
Compensation structure for CEOs and other C-level execs
According to the Deloitte survey, only 40% of a CEO's total compensation is fixed. The rest 60% is performance-based, with short-term incentives/annual bonuses accounting for 25% and long-term incentives accounting for 35%. For other C-level executives like COOs, CFOs, CHROs, CMOs, and CSOs, roughly 60% of their total pay is fixed. The remaining is evenly split between short-term and long-term incentives.
Top earners
COOs and CFOs are the 2nd highest-paid executives
The survey also shows COOs and CFOs remain the second highest-paid executive positions after CEO. Their total compensation stands at nearly ₹4 crore. Anandorup Ghose, Partner at Deloitte India, said despite the ongoing correction in equity markets, there hasn't been any negative impact on compensation yet. He added there have been significant compensation corrections in legal, risk, and compliance functions where absolute compensation has lagged other functions historically.
Performance assessment
A shift toward comprehensive performance evaluations
The survey shows a move toward more holistic functional/business performance assessments for short-term incentives at the C-Suite level. However, long-term incentives still remain largely financially driven. Most companies adopt a scorecard approach while evaluating CEO and other C-level performances, considering both financial and strategic priorities.
Incentive trends
Share-based long-term incentives gain popularity
The study highlights the growing trend of companies offering share-based long-term incentives. The pay tied to stock awards and the cost to companies for these plans is increasing. This increased scrutiny on new share-based plan approvals has quadrupled shareholder rejection rates in just the past year.