Core Insights - The 2024 CEO compensation for companies in the S&P 500 index has reached record levels, driven by significant increases in stock awards and overall financial performance [1][2] Group 1: CEO Compensation Trends - The average CEO compensation in the S&P 500 for 2023 was approximately $9.4 million (about 67.58 million RMB), with 70% of this amount derived from stock awards [1][2] - In 2024, the total compensation package for S&P 500 CEOs increased by nearly 10%, with half of the CEOs earning at least $17.1 million (about 123 million RMB), up from $15.8 million (about 114 million RMB) in 2023 [2][4] - Rick Smith of Axon topped the CEO compensation list with a package valued at $164.5 million (about 1.183 billion RMB), followed by Larry Culp of GE at $89 million (about 640 million RMB) and Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone at $84 million (about 604 million RMB) [2] Group 2: Sector-Specific CEO Compensation - In the travel and related sectors, Glenn Fogel of Booking Holdings earned $44.8 million (about 322 million RMB), Bob Iger of Disney earned $41.1 million (about 317 million RMB), and Dara Khosrowshahi of Uber earned $39.4 million (about 283 million RMB) [3] - Glenn Fogel's compensation decreased by 4.03% year-over-year, while Bob Iger and Dara Khosrowshahi saw increases of 30% and 63%, respectively [3] Group 3: Broader Economic Context - The average salary for regular employees in the surveyed companies was approximately $85,000 (about 610,000 RMB), reflecting a 1.7% increase from 2023 [2] - The disparity in compensation between CEOs and average employees continues to widen, with some CEOs earning hundreds of times more than their employees [4]