Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
Tim Cook tops ranking of reported pay for departing CEOs at $950 million
A study ranked five departing CEOs by their reported compensation over their time in office.
It puts Apple’s Tim Cook first, with about $950 million over 15 years, followed by Disney’s Bob Iger at $580 million and Activision Blizzard’s Bobby Kotick at $550 million.
AT&T’s Randall Stephenson and Netflix’s Reed Hastings round out the top five, with $340 million and $335 million respectively.
The figures include salary, bonuses and stock awards reported in company filings, and are estimates of cumulative pay rather than money paid when the executives left.
The ranking compares compensation across years in the job, while personal net worth estimates are listed separately and are not the same as pay.
Cook moved to executive chairman after leaving the Apple CEO role, while Iger and Hastings also took executive chairman roles; Kotick left Activision Blizzard after Microsoft’s acquisition closed, and Stephenson retired.
The figures show how reported CEO pay can build over long tenures, but no further steps are described.
Tim Cook ranked first among departing CEOs for reported cumulative compensation, with about $950 million over 15 years as Apple CEO, according to a study by trading firm Atmos.
Bob Iger ranked second with $580 million, while Bobby Kotick ranked third with $550 million.
The study examined CEOs who had left their roles and compared their tenure, departure circumstances, estimated net worth and reported compensation.
The figures include salary, bonuses and stock awards reported in company filings, and are not payments made solely when the executives left their jobs.
- Who
- Tim Cook, Apple’s departing CEO, topped the ranking.
- What
- He had approximately $950 million in reported cumulative compensation.
- When
- The study was published in September 2026. Cook’s listed CEO tenure was 2011–2026.
- Where
- Apple.
- Why
- The ranking compared reported compensation for CEOs who had left their roles. The sources do not state a specific reason for Cook’s compensation level.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Atmos published the study comparing departing CEOs’ tenure, departure circumstances, estimated net worth and reported compensation.
Tim Cook served as Apple CEO for 15 years, according to the study.
- Top-ranked CEO
- Tim Cook
- Reported compensation
- Approximately $950 million
- Company
- Apple
- CEO tenure
- 2011–2026; 15 years
- Study firm
- Atmos