Highest-Paid CFOs to Know in 2026
CFO compensation can reach well into the eight figures at major public companies. From tech and healthcare to financial services, these finance leaders show just how lucrative the top end of the profession can be.
The Highest-Paid CFOs
Below are some of the highest-paid CFOs by their reported total compensation, from salary and bonuses to equity awards and other compensation.
Note: This ranking uses 2025 compensation because it is the most recent full-year compensation data available for the CFOs included at the time of our update.
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Manmeet Soni
Manmeet Soni is Summit Therapeutics’ chief operating and financial officer and a director, after earlier finance leadership roles at Pharmacyclics, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.
- Salary: $616,500
- Bonus: $388,395
- Option Award Modification:…
Manmeet Soni is Summit Therapeutics’ chief operating and financial officer and a director, after earlier finance leadership roles at Pharmacyclics, Ariad Pharmaceuticals, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals.
- Salary: $616,500
- Bonus: $388,395
- Option Award Modification: $248,101,887
- All Other Compensation: $21,000
- Total Compensation: $249,127,782
Compensation note: Nearly all of Soni’s reported $249.1 million compensation came from an accounting increase in the value of stock options he received in earlier years. Summit did not give him $248.1 million in new stock options in 2025, but SEC reporting rules require the increase to be included in his 2025 total compensation.
Tim McHugh
Tim McHugh is Welltower’s co-president and chief financial officer, overseeing corporate finance after earlier roles in treasury, investments, corporate finance, and real estate securities.
- Salary: $700,000
- Stock Awards: $163,753,640
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan…
Tim McHugh is Welltower’s co-president and chief financial officer, overseeing corporate finance after earlier roles in treasury, investments, corporate finance, and real estate securities.
- Salary: $700,000
- Stock Awards: $163,753,640
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $2,450,000
- All Other Compensation: $51,500
- Total Compensation: $166,955,140
Anat Ashkenazi
Anat Ashkenazi is senior vice president and CFO of Alphabet and Google, following more than two decades at Eli Lilly, where she became executive vice president and chief financial officer.
- Salary: $1,003,846
- …
Anat Ashkenazi is senior vice president and CFO of Alphabet and Google, following more than two decades at Eli Lilly, where she became executive vice president and chief financial officer.
- Salary: $1,003,846
- Stock Awards: $30,171,070
- All Other Compensation: $84,115
- Total Compensation: $31,259,031
Amy Hood
Amy Hood is Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, a role she has held since 2013 after finance leadership at Microsoft and earlier investment banking work at Goldman Sachs.
- Salary:…
Amy Hood is Microsoft’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, a role she has held since 2013 after finance leadership at Microsoft and earlier investment banking work at Goldman Sachs.
- Salary: $1,000,000
- Stock Awards: $25,037,360
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $3,421,000
- All Other Compensation: $23,191
- Total Compensation: $29,481,551
David Glazer
David Glazer is Palantir’s chief financial officer and treasurer, with the company since 2013. He holds a history degree from Santa Clara University and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
- …
David Glazer is Palantir’s chief financial officer and treasurer, with the company since 2013. He holds a history degree from Santa Clara University and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law.
- Salary: $450,200
- Stock Awards: $21,170,428
- Option Awards: $6,314,713
- All Other Compensation: $36,535
- Total Compensation: $27,971,876
Kevan Parekh
Kevan Parekh is Apple’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. Before becoming CFO in 2025, he led financial planning and worldwide finance and held senior roles at Thomson Reuters and GM.
- …
Kevan Parekh is Apple’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. Before becoming CFO in 2025, he led financial planning and worldwide finance and held senior roles at Thomson Reuters and GM.
- Salary: $891,519
- Stock Awards: $18,433,135
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $3,120,317
- All Other Compensation: $22,338
- Total Compensation: $22,467,309
Colette Kress
Colette Kress is NVIDIA’s executive vice president and CFO, a role she has held since 2013 after finance leadership at Cisco, Microsoft, and Texas Instruments. She also holds an MBA from SMU.
- …
Colette Kress is NVIDIA’s executive vice president and CFO, a role she has held since 2013 after finance leadership at Cisco, Microsoft, and Texas Instruments. She also holds an MBA from SMU.
- Salary: $893,739
- Stock Awards: $19,849,891
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $600,000
- All Other Compensation: $18,902
- Total Compensation: $21,362,532
Spencer Neumann
Spencer Neumann has served as Netflix’s chief financial officer since 2019. He previously held senior finance roles at Activision Blizzard and Disney and earned both his B.A. and M.B.A. from Harvard.
- Salary:…
Spencer Neumann has served as Netflix’s chief financial officer since 2019. He previously held senior finance roles at Activision Blizzard and Disney and earned both his B.A. and M.B.A. from Harvard.
- Salary: $2,000,000
- Stock Awards: $14,022,432
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $4,702,639
- All Other Compensation: $108,979
- Total Compensation: $20,834,050
Susan Li
Susan Li is Meta’s chief financial officer, a role she assumed in 2022 after more than a decade at the company in finance leadership positions spanning planning, strategy, and corporate finance.
- Salary:…
Susan Li is Meta’s chief financial officer, a role she assumed in 2022 after more than a decade at the company in finance leadership positions spanning planning, strategy, and corporate finance.
- Salary: $989,423
- Bonus: $2,275,673
- Stock Awards: $16,711,548
- All Other Compensation: $85,968
- Total Compensation: $20,062,612
Gunnar Wiedenfels
Gunnar Wiedenfels is Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief financial officer, overseeing global finance and related operations after serving as Discovery’s CFO and earlier as CFO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media.
- Salary: $2,142,400
- Stock Awards: $8,188,512
- …
Gunnar Wiedenfels is Warner Bros. Discovery’s chief financial officer, overseeing global finance and related operations after serving as Discovery’s CFO and earlier as CFO of ProSiebenSat.1 Media.
- Salary: $2,142,400
- Stock Awards: $8,188,512
- Option Awards: $2,093,522
- Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation: $5,214,718
- All Other Compensation: $35,610
- Total Compensation: $17,674,762
What Drives CFO Compensation?
CFO pay at major public companies goes far beyond base salary. While the average U.S. CFO salary is about $439,000 in 2026, compensation packages for finance chiefs at large companies can be worth many millions once bonuses, stock awards, and other incentives are included.
Several factors can push total compensation substantially higher:
- Company size and complexity: CFOs overseeing large, global businesses typically command larger compensation packages because of the scale and complexity of their responsibilities.
- Equity and long-term incentives: Stock awards can represent a significant portion of an executive compensation package, tying the CFO's potential payout to longer-term company performance and shareholder value.
- Performance incentives: Annual bonuses and other incentive awards can increase compensation considerably when executives or their companies meet predetermined targets.
- Industry: Competition for experienced finance executives varies by sector, with industries such as technology, pharmaceuticals, and financial services capable of offering particularly large packages.
- Expanded responsibilities: Some CFOs also hold titles such as president, chief operating officer, or executive vice president, reflecting responsibilities that extend beyond the traditional finance function.
Therefore, total compensation is a more useful measure than salary alone when comparing the highest-paid CFOs. The figures in this list include salary, bonuses, equity awards, and other reported compensation where applicable.
Highest-Paid CFO FAQs
Do CFOs make more than CEOs?
Generally, no. CEOs typically receive the largest executive compensation package at a company, reflecting their overall responsibility for the organization. However, CFOs at major public companies can still earn compensation packages worth millions—or even tens of millions—of dollars per year.
Are CFO compensation figures publicly available?
For U.S. public companies, executive compensation is generally disclosed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Proxy statements typically provide compensation information for the company’s named executive officers, which often includes the CFO. Private companies generally aren’t subject to the same public disclosure requirements.
Do private-company CFOs make as much as public-company CFOs?
They can, particularly at large or fast-growing private companies, but direct comparisons are difficult. Private companies generally don’t have the same executive compensation disclosure requirements as public companies, so CFO pay is less readily available. Equity can also make up a meaningful part of a private-company CFO’s compensation, with its ultimate value depending on the company’s future performance and liquidity events.
How often does CFO compensation change?
CFO compensation can change considerably from one year to the next. Annual incentive payouts, new equity grants, promotions, changes in company performance, and one-time awards can all cause a CFO’s reported total compensation to rise or fall substantially.
For CFO Salaries, The Sky's The Limit
If you’re an aspiring finance professional, it’s wise to aim high and understand the pure earning potential of this position. To get there, don’t forget to improve your finance skills, follow industry leaders on LinkedIn and other platforms, read CFO books, and most importantly, subscribe to The CFO Club newsletter to hone your skills as a finance professional.
