CEO Pay Growth Slows While CFO Compensation Rises: Deloitte Survey

A survey by Deloitte India shows a divergence in executive compensation trends across India Inc. Median Chief Executive Officer (CEO) pay stood at Rs 10.5 crore in FY2025–26, rising 5% year-on-year, marking the slowest increase since the pandemic period.

In contrast, median compensation for Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) reached Rs 4.5 crore, recording the highest growth among CXO roles. The increase is linked to higher demand for finance leadership, attrition in key roles, and expanded responsibilities, including board-level functions. The report notes that CEO pay growth is influenced by equity-linked components, which form a large share of total compensation and are affected by market performance.

Overall, CXO pay rose between 4% and 10%. Companies are also changing compensation structures, using multiple long-term incentive plans and performance-linked metrics.

Firms are placing more focus on internal performance indicators rather than share price movements while designing executive pay frameworks.