Top Highest-Paid CEOs in India 2024

In Indian corporations, where ambition meets strategy and innovation intertwines with leadership, a select group of individuals emerges as the torchbearers of success. These titans of Industry not only steer their companies towards unprecedented growth but also command huge compensation packages that reflect their invaluable contributions.

From navigating complex Market dynamics to shaping the future of entire sectors, these Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) exemplify the peak of corporate leadership. In this post, let's delve into the world of India's highest-paid CEOs, where vision meets execution and where every decision echoes through the corridors of power and influence.

Top Highest-Paid CEOs in India

Here is the list of highest-paid CEOs in India:

1. Thierry Delaporte

• Company: Wipro
• Started In: July 2020
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 82.4 crores

Thierry Delaporte is the CEO of Wipro, one of India's foremost technology giants. Holding the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the IT firm, Wipro boasts a valuation exceeding Rs. 93,400 crores. At 56 years of age, Delaporte hails from France, bringing with him intricate knowledge and over three decades of experience in the global IT sector. Before assuming the CEO role at Wipro, Thierry held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Capgemini, a prominent French IT firm.

2. S N Subrahmanyan

• Company: Larsen & Toubro
• Started In: 2017
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 61.27 crores

Sekharipuram Narayanan Subrahmanyan serves as the Chairman & Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro. Additionally, S N Subrahmanyan holds the position of Vice Chairman on the Boards of LTIMindtree and L&T Technology Services, serves as Chairman of L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited, and acts as Director and Chairperson of L&T Finance Holdings Ltd. He is among the nine founding members of the Climate Finance Leadership Initiative (CFLI) India.

3. Sandeep Kalra

• Company: Persistent Systems
• Started In: 2019
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 61.7 crores

Sandeep Kalra holds the CEO and Executive Director positions on the Board of Persistent Systems. Sandeep did his graduation from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and has extensive experience in the IT service industry. In the past few years, Persistent Systems received significant acclaim from prestigious industry analysts such as Gartner, Zinnov, ISG, Everest Group, and Constellation Research under the leadership of Sandeep. His leadership further earned him the second position among his peers for this distinguished award.

4. Nitin Rakesh

• Salary For 2023-2024: Mphasis
• Started In: 2017
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 59.2 crores

Nitin Rakesh, an Indian-American entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist, is the Director and CEO at Mphasis. Before this role, Rakesh served as the CEO and President of Syntel, as well as the Managing Director and CEO of Motilal Oswal Asset Management Company Ltd., and as the Chief Executive of State Street Syntel Services, a collaboration between Syntel and State Street Bank.

5. Salil Parekh

• Company: Infosys
• Started In: January 2018
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 56.44 crores

Salil Parekh serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys. In terms of his academic background, he has a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master of Engineering degree in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University. Parekh's professional journey includes a significant tenure at Capgemini, where he joined in 2000. He progressed through the ranks to become a group management board member.

6. Rajiv Bajaj

• Company: Bajaj Auto
• Started In: 2005
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 47.6 crores

Rajiv Bajaj is credited with introducing the Pulsar motorcycles Range, significantly revitalising the company's fortunes. His career at Bajaj Auto spans various domains, including Manufacturing & Supply Chain, R&D and Engineering, and Marketing and Sales. Since April 2005, he has been Managing Director, steering the company's operations with his visionary leadership.

7. Satish Pai

• Company: Hindalco Industries
• Started In: 2013
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 37.1 crores

Since 2016, Satish Pai has served as the Managing Director of Hindalco Industries and has held the position of Chief Executive Officer for their Aluminium Business since 2013. Additionally, he leads Hindalco's Sustainability Board. Before his tenure at Hindalco Industries, Satish amassed 28 years of experience at Schlumberger, where he held various engineering and management roles, culminating in his appointment as executive vice president of worldwide operations.

8. C Vijayakumar

• Company: HCL Technologies
• Started In: 2016
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 28.4 crores

C Vijayakumar took the roles of CEO and Managing Director at HCL Technologies, a renowned global technology corporation. His journey with HCL technologies started in 1994 when he was one of the founding startup team members of Comnet as a senior technical engineer. Over the years, he ascended the ranks in the company, and his appointment as CEO dates back to October 2016, with the additional designation of Managing Director conferred upon him in July 2021. He holds an Electrical & Electronics Engineering degree from PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu, India, and resides in New Jersey, USA. Moreover, he obtained his MBA from IIM Calcutta.

9. T.V. Narendran

• Company: Tata Steel
• Started In: 2017
• Salary For 2023-2024: Rs. 18.66 crores

Thachat Viswanath Narendran is the global CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, one of the world's largest steel producers. Additionally, he holds the position of President at the Confederation of Indian Industry. Narendran holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirappalli (now National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli) and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

Conclusion

The executive compensation in India reflects the dynamism and the competitive spirit of the country's corporate landscape. The highest-paid CEOs exemplify leadership excellence, strategic insight, and relentless drive towards organisational success. As they navigate the complexities of the business world, these leaders command substantial remuneration and bear immense responsibility in steering their companies towards growth and sustainability.