New Delhi, March 7: Google has significantly increased CEO Sundar Pichai’s total potential salary package to $692 million over the next three years. This move positions him among the highest-paid executives globally, according to a report by the Financial Times released on Saturday.
The package primarily consists of $126 million in performance stock units (PSUs), which are divided into two equal parts. These PSUs will be linked to shareholder returns based on performance metrics. If performance exceeds expectations, their value could double to $252 million; however, no payment will be made if targets are not met.
Additionally, Pichai will receive $84 million in restricted stock, which will vest monthly over three years. His annual salary will remain at $2 million.
The tech giant has also introduced new stock incentives worth up to $350 million related to its autonomous projects. Under this plan, Pichai will receive shares worth $130 million in Waymo and $45 million in Wing Aviation, with potential payments reaching up to 200% of target values.
Alphabet’s board stated that these incentives reflect their confidence in Pichai’s leadership. According to the board, under his guidance, projects like Waymo and Wing are tackling significant challenges in autonomous driving and delivery.
Since becoming CEO in August 2015, Pichai has overseen a remarkable increase in Google’s market cap, which has grown nearly sevenfold from $535 billion to $3.6 trillion. In January, it briefly reached $4 trillion.
The 53-year-old Pichai, who was born in India, joined Google in 2004 after working at McKinsey & Company. He played a crucial role in developing Google Chrome and later led Android before ascending to the top position.
Reports indicate that earlier this week, Pichai sold 32,500 Class-C shares for approximately $9.8 million. Together with his wife, he holds a total of 1.67 million Google shares, valued at around $498 million based on Friday’s closing price of $298 per share.
In comparison, Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft) earned $96.5 million in fiscal year 2025, while Tim Cook (CEO of Apple Inc.) received a package worth $74.3 million.
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