While the spotlight often shines on the numerous Indian-origin executives in Silicon Valley, only one Indian-American has secured a spot among the top 10 highest paid CEO in the United States. Surprisingly, it’s not the well-known Sundar Pichai of Google or Satya Nadella of Microsoft. Instead, it’s Nikesh Arora, the CEO and chairman of Palo Alto Networks, who has made the prestigious list, according to a recent report by data analytics firm C-Suite Comp.
C-Suite Comp’s report, released on Monday, details the highest paid CEO in the US based on two distinct metrics: “total compensation granted” in 2023 and “compensation actually paid.”
Nikesh Arora stands out by appearing on both lists. He ranked fourth in “Total Compensation Granted” with earnings of $151.4 million in 2023. Additionally, he secured the tenth spot on the “Compensation Actually Paid” list, with an impressive $266.4 million in annual compensation. This dual recognition highlights his significant financial rewards as the head of Palo Alto Networks.
Interestingly, neither Sundar Pichai nor Satya Nadella made it to either list, despite Google’s and Microsoft’s notable achievements, including Microsoft’s successful year with OpenAI.
Topping the list of highest-paid CEOs by compensation actually paid is Elon Musk of Tesla, who earned a staggering $1.4 billion in 2023. He is followed by Alexander Karp of Palantir Technologies, the only other executive to surpass the $1 billion mark. The top 10 includes:
Nikesh Arora took the helm at Palo Alto Networks in 2018, bringing with him a wealth of experience from previous high-profile positions at Google and SoftBank Group. Born to an Indian Air Force officer, Arora’s early education was at Air Force Public School in Delhi. He later earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Institute of Technology at Banaras Hindu University (now IIT-BHU), followed by an MBA from Northeastern University and an MSc from Boston College.
Arora’s career includes a decade at Google, where he held senior leadership roles. In 2014, he left Google to join SoftBank Group as its President and Chief Operating Officer. His leadership at Palo Alto Networks has evidently paid off, as evidenced by his inclusion in the elite group of highest-paid CEOs in the United States.
