What’s Behind Mutual Insurer CEOs’ Big Pay Increases?
By P&C Specialist | Jun 1, 2026 | Read more
Partners Roman Beleuta and Melissa Burek were quoted in a P&C Specialist article examining recent increases in mutual insurer CEO compensation. Roman explained that much of the variation in reported pay reflects timing, as only a small portion of compensation is guaranteed salary while the rest is generally performance-based and at risk. He noted that multiyear incentive plans can create sharp swings in reported compensation, particularly as profitability rebounded in 2024 and 2025 following meaningful rate increases. Melissa added that Liberty Mutual’s disclosed payouts from appreciation units, which are similar to stock incentives, can significantly increase reported compensation when executives redeem them.
Median pay for CEOs rose nearly 6% in 2025, but some compensation packages were eye-popping
By AP News | May 27, 2026 | Read more
Partner Kelly Malafis was quoted in an AP News article on 2025 CEO compensation trends, including the growth in median CEO pay and notable large compensation packages. Kelly noted that the use of AI considerations or metrics in incentive plans has not yet become a majority practice, though she expects that could change going forward.
Shareholders Deliver Short-Target Welltower Say-on-Pay Rebuke
By The Deal | May 26, 2026 | Read more
Partner Shaun Bisman was quoted in a “The Deal by S&P Global” article on Welltower’s failed say-on-pay vote, following shareholder concerns about the REIT’s executive compensation structure. Shaun noted that investor opposition extended beyond the advisory pay proposal to compensation committee members, signaling a broader focus on board accountability and governance oversight. He also explained that the opposition appeared to reflect concerns about the extraordinary size and structure of Welltower’s special front-loaded awards.
Which bank CEOs got the biggest raises last year
By American Banker | May 21, 2026 | Read more
Compensation Advisory Partners’ research was featured in an American Banker article on 2025 CEO pay at large and regional banks. The article highlighted CAP’s analysis of 54 bank CEOs, which found that CEO pay rose 12.5% in 2025, a smaller increase than the 18% rise CAP calculated for 2024, with all but four CEOs in the analysis receiving higher total direct compensation year over year.
Boards Cite Security in Raising Aircraft, Residential Security Perks
By Agenda | May 18, 2026 | Read more
Partner Kyle Eastman was mentioned in an Agenda article on the normalization of security-related executive perquisites, including personal security programs and corporate aircraft use. Kyle contributed to Compensation Advisory Partners’ research examining CEO personal security perks and CEO personal use of corporate aircraft among 90 large-cap companies with fiscal years ending between March and November 2025. CAP’s research found that CEO personal security perks increased from 30% in 2023 to more than 44% in 2025, and that companies are increasingly tying aircraft perks to security-related considerations.
Tariffs & Pay: Early Look at 2026 Proxy Disclosures
By Compensation Standards | May 5, 2026 | Read more
Partners Margaret Engel and Shaun Bisman authored Compensation Advisory Partners’ research cited in The Advisors Blog article on how companies addressed tariffs in 2026 proxy disclosures. Margaret and Shaun analyzed 22 companies affected by tariffs and found that 36% made adjustments to annual and/or long-term incentive payouts. Their research noted that companies often treated tariffs as an external and unforeseen event while seeking to preserve pay-for-performance alignment, transparency, and accountability for business outcomes.
Comp Committees Had Big Plans for 2025. Then the Tariffs Hit
By Agenda | May 4, 2026 | Read more
Partners Margaret Engel and Shaun Bisman were quoted in an Agenda article on how tariff-related uncertainty affected compensation planning and incentive plan adjustments. Margaret explained that adjusting performance metrics can be easier for investors to understand than applying discretion, particularly when tariffs are treated as unexpected external costs. Shaun noted that metric adjustments can affect a broader employee population tied to cash bonus plans and said boards should monitor performance carefully and take a rigorous approach to any adjustments.
CEOs got millions after boards ‘neutralized’ the impact of tariffs
By Fortune | Apr 29, 2026 | Read more
Partners Shaun Bisman and Margaret Engel were quoted in Fortune’s article on how companies handled tariff-related impacts in executive pay decisions. As the piece explores the ways compensation committees adjusted incentive outcomes, Shaun and Margaret offer important perspective on fairness, disclosure, and the pressure boards faced when external events disrupted performance after goals were already in place.
