Being a CEO is what we, in the biz, like to call, “being a boss.” Yes, there’s a literal sense in that term as well as a figurative one, especially after seeing how much some of the richest CEOs in the world actually make, proving that sitting in the corner office and delegating to all the busy workers certainly has its perks. But how much do they really make? I’ve listed the top-15 highest-earning CEOs, so keep reading and find out why life is good for all of them.
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15. David Zaslav – $33.35 million/year (Discovery Communications)
President of Discovery Communications, David Zaslav oversees one of the biggest media companies on the planet, with Discovery managing a variety of different properties that include TLC, Animal Planet and Velocity. After coming from NBC Universal in 2006 where he was an executive, Zaslav saw his salary jump to a whopping $33 million in 2015.
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14. Robert Iger – $34.32 million/year (Walt Disney Company)
Who doesn’t love the Mouse? While Walt Disney may have started his company years ago with the vision of a cartoon named Mickey, the character and brand has evolved ever since, acquiring and developing properties with a number of businesses. For that reason, it’s probably not too surprising that the guy who is in charge of making the key decisions for the company is making over $34 million this year.
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13. Leonard Schleifer – $36.27 million/year (Regeneron)
President and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Leonard Schleifer heads one of the largest biotech companies in the world, making him one smart cookie. As the founder of Regeneron, Schleifer has evolved the brand into what it is today from the beginning, helping to fill a gap in neurological medicines. For all he has and continues to do, he is paid a handsome $36.27 million this year.
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12. Gary Friedman – $36.46 million/year (Restoration Hardware)
Who knew that all that luxury furniture at the store Restoration Hardware paid so well, right? Turns out that the California-based company does just that, though, as its CEO, Gary Friedman, is earning just under $36.5 million in 2015. After a rocky past couple of years, Friedman is back on top of the company, leading it into new avenues to help sell their products.
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11. Philippe Dauman – $37.19 million/year (Viacom)
Owning brands like MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount, BET, Spike and Comedy Central, among others, Viacom has proven to be one of the most-influential media companies on the planet. The man who sits in its highest post is Phillippe Dauman, who makes an annual salary of just over $37 million this year, where he is helping to expand the sixth-largest broadcasting and cable company in the United States.
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10. Martine Rothblatt – $38.29 million/year (United Therapeutics)
Making just over $38 million in 2015, United Therapeutics CEO Martine Rothblatt has found herself in the top-10 of the highest earning CEOs on the planet. A biotech company that specializes in design and distribution of medical technology, the company has helped patients overcome horrible diseases to extend their lives.
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9. Stephen Kaufer – $39 million/year (TripAdvisor)
Even with all the different trip-planning sites and apps out there, there’s one man, Stephen Kaufer of TripAdvisor, who stands above the rest. Helping consumers decide between hotels, resorts, spas, flights and other things to enjoy a great vacation, Kaufer’s company gives both reviews by staff and users, making it unique in engagement. Owning 25 similar sites, too, the CEO makes $39 million per year.
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8. Jeffrey Weiner – $49 million/year (LinkedIn)
While we can thank Mark Zuckerberg for helping us stay in touch with all of our old high school and college friends on Facebook, credit for being connected via business reasons goes out to Jeffrey Weiner, who is the CEO of LinkedIn. Used for professionals to have an online profile as an outlet to promote themselves and look for jobs, the company has more than 250 million user in over 200 countries around the world, and pays Weiner $49 million per year to be in charge.
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7. Richard Adkerson – $55.26 million/year (Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold)
As Vice Chairman, President and CEO of Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold, Richard Adkerson oversees one of the oldest and most-established copper and gold producers in the world. Founded in 1912, the brand has stood the test of time amid controversy to succeed, paying its leader over $55 million.
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6. Don Mattrick – $57.81 million/year (Zynga)
All of those, somewhat, annoying apps like Farmville and Mafia Wars that you get asked to play on Facebook? Yeah, the company Zynga is responsible for making all of them. The man at the head of the brand? His name is Don Mattrick, who is earning over $57 million this year, proving that there really are users who play those things, because the Zynga is doing very well.
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5. Nicholas Howley – $64.21 million/year (TransDigm Group)
As a developer and manufacture of aerospace and military tech, the TransDigm Group has been at the forefront of a nubbier of big projects that earned the business over $1.7 billion back in 2012. With that much success, the man at the top should get paid, which is why its CEO, Nicholas Howley, earns a paycheck of over $64 million.
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4. Les Moonves – $65.59 million/year (CBS)
CBS touts itself as America’s Most Watched Network, and with so many viewers tuning in to its shows, CEO Les Moonves is rewarded quite nicely for overseeing direction of things, taking home nearly $66 million this year. With a number of forms of entertainment including TV, radio and an online presence, CBS is one of the leaders in providing content no matter where or when a user wants it.
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3. Larry Ellison – $78.44 million/year (Oracle)
One of the most flamboyant CEOs on the planet, Oracle’s Larry Ellison makes just under $78.5 million per year and happily tells anyone near him about it. Worth a ridiculous $56 billion, Ellison makes sure that his company is continuously developing hardware for management on a number of different systems, serving as the company’s CEO from the very beginning.
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2. Mario Gabelli – $85.05 million/year (GAMCO Investors)
With a number of different roles with the market research firm GAMCO Investors, Mario Gabelli helps companies evaluates and analyzes a number of different factors for high-end brands around the world. Making over $85 million per year, Gabelli bleeds GAMCO through and through, with a reported 50 percent stake that make his net worth over $1.2 billion.
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1. Charif Souki – $141.95 million/year (Cheniere Energy)
Pulling in a whopping $141.95 million in 2015, Cheniere Energy’s Charif Souki holds the title as the highest-earning CEO on the planet. And for those wondering, his annual salary comes out to a cool $389,000 per day. A Texas-based company that specializes in transporting natural gas, Souki’s salary itself is, reportedly, actually less than $1 million, but with bonuses and stock, it comes out to the figure above, as Souki helped transform the company mightily from 2008-’13.
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