Salary Variations at Executive Levels: Report Reveals Amounts and Top Beneficiaries
In a groundbreaking report published in 2025, the remuneration of CEOs in German companies has undergone a significant change. The key factor that has emerged is a shift towards higher fixed salary components and less variable pay linked to performance.
According to the report, in RCM Beteiligungs AG, for instance, CEO compensation consists predominantly of salary (96%) versus other variable components (4%) in 2024. This change suggests that German CEO pay in some firms is moving away from performance-linked pay towards more fixed salary elements.
The report also mentions formal pay caps under the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG), indicating regulatory influences on CEO compensation levels. However, the most notable change is the concentration on fixed salary over variable components in some German companies.
The report does not specify the industries or sectors of the German companies whose CEO salaries are included, nor does it provide information about the salaries of CEOs in companies outside of Germany. It also does not mention any individual CEOs or their specific salaries.
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The findings of the report may have implications for corporate governance and income inequality in Germany. A subscription management option is available for Contentpass subscribers on their website, and the service is integrated with an external service provided by "Piano".
Despite the focus on the salaries of CEOs in German companies, the report does not directly link pay to diversity or DEI outcomes specifically in the German context. One source focuses on US trends in this area but does not report a similar trend in Germany.
[1] Source: Report on CEO Remuneration in German Companies, 2025 [2] Source: German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) [4] Source: US Trends in CEO Pay and Diversity, 2025
- What about the impact of this shift in CEO compensation on the overall finance and business landscape in Germany?
- In light of the report's findings, is it plausible to anticipate changes in the finance and business strategies of German companies, given the move towards fixed salary components for CEOs?
