MUMBAI– Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella’s total compensation for the 2024–2025 fiscal year soared to $96.5 million, the highest since he took the helm of the tech giant in 2014.
The sharp increase underscores Microsoft’s rapid progress in artificial intelligence under Nadella’s leadership. In a letter to shareholders, the company’s board credited Nadella and his executive team for steering Microsoft through a “generational technology shift,” positioning it as a global leader in AI innovation.
Regulatory filings show that about 90 percent of Nadella’s compensation came in the form of Microsoft shares, supplemented by a $2.5 million base salary. In the previous fiscal year, Nadella earned $79.1 million.
The filing also detailed higher pay packages for several top executives. Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood received $29.5 million, while Judson Althoff, who leads Microsoft’s commercial business, earned $28.2 million.
Microsoft shares have risen roughly 23 percent this year, driven by strong performance in its Azure cloud business, which continues to challenge Amazon Web Services for global market leadership.
Since taking over as CEO, Nadella has transformed Microsoft into a cloud-first, AI-driven enterprise. His early bet on cloud computing helped Azure become one of the world’s leading cloud platforms. He also expanded Microsoft’s portfolio with major acquisitions, including LinkedIn, GitHub, and gaming powerhouse Activision Blizzard, reinforcing the company’s influence across software, professional networking, and entertainment.
One of Nadella’s defining strategic moves was backing OpenAI long before its meteoric rise. Microsoft’s initial $1 billion investment in the startup evolved into a $10 billion partnership after ChatGPT became a global phenomenon. Today, OpenAI’s technology is deeply integrated into Microsoft’s product lineup, from Office tools to cloud services.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Nadella earned an engineering degree from Mangalore University in 1988 and a master’s in computer science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He joined Microsoft in 1992, rising through the company’s ranks before succeeding Steve Ballmer as CEO. (Source: IANS)
