UK CEOs Get a Pay Boost, Eroding a Key Draw for a US Listing

Compensation for UK-based executives at the country’s largest firms is rising, narrowing a pay gap with US peers that has contributed to an exodus of companies from London.

The median salary for a chief executive officer of a FTSE 100 company grew by 6.8% to £4.6 million ($6.2 million) in 2025, the highest on record for the third year in a row, according to the High Pay Centre think tank.

The jump in pay suggests that investors and corporations are starting to become more comfortable with compensating executives competitively, following a tide of defections that has seen companies shift their ...