Alphabet gives Sundar Pichai massive $692m compensation deal

Alphabet has awarded Sundar Pichai a new compensation package that could be worth up to $692 million over the next three years, according to a regulatory filing reported by the Financial Times.

The deal, structured largely around performance incentives, ties much of the potential payout to stock awards and strategic milestones. 

Some of the incentives are linked to the progress of Alphabet’s emerging businesses, including autonomous driving unit Waymo and drone delivery venture Wing.

If the targets are met, the package could place Pichai among the highest-paid executives globally. 

However, the majority of the compensation will depend on company performance and long-term growth.

Despite leading one of the world’s most influential technology companies, Pichai generally draws less public attention than Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. 

Recently, the two billionaires have been making headlines for major property purchases in Florida.

Reports suggest Page spent more than $173 million acquiring two luxury homes in Coconut Grove, Miami, while Brin has reportedly been linked to a $51 million mansion in the same region, in addition to earlier property purchases worth roughly $92 million.

The real estate activity comes amid discussion around a proposed California ballot measure known as the California Billionaire Tax Act, which would impose a one-time 5% tax on net worth exceeding $1 billion for the state’s wealthiest residents.

Pichai, meanwhile, appears to have remained based in Los Altos, California. Since becoming Google’s chief executive in 2015, the company’s market value has surged, significantly increasing the value of the stock he has accumulated.