Levels and Structure of CEO Remuneration: Some Australian Evidence

Abstract

Motivated by an increasing public interest of corporate governance practices, this study seeks to provide empirical evidence relating to CEO remuneration in Australia. The objectives include: providing empirical evidence of its current levels and structure; documenting the performance hurdles used; and, providing evidence of stock options as components LTIPs. An archival-based research method is used, with analysis of CEO remuneration data. The key findings include: salary is the main component; performance-based remuneration accounted for a larger percentage of the total; LTIPs increasingly require hurdles; TSR is the predominant performance hurdle; and stock options are the main instrument of LTIPs.