Business · Companies · 7 hrs ago
SWR chief Kai Gniffke topped ARD pay list with more than €400,000
A new pay list shows SWR chief Kai Gniffke received more than €400,000 in 2025, the highest total among senior executives at Germany’s ARD public broadcaster group.
His pay included €392,530 in salary and €8,059 in benefits, such as a company car or rail card.
The 12-member leadership team received more than €3 million altogether.
WDR chief Katrin Vernau ranked second, with total pay of €359,500.
ARD executives do not set their own pay; supervisory bodies at each broadcaster decide their compensation, while union agreements set pay for employees on standard contracts.
The list also covers Deutsche Welle, where Barbara Massing took over as chief in October 2025 and received €64,811 for the remaining three months of that year.
SWR chief Kai Gniffke topped the ARD pay list, receiving more than €400,000 in 2025.
His basic pay was €392,530, with €8,059 in benefits.
WDR chief Katrin Vernau ranked second, with total compensation of €359,500.
The ARD network published the salary list on Monday.
Oversight bodies at the individual broadcasters decide executive pay.
- Who
- Kai Gniffke, head of the Südwestrundfunk (SWR).
- What
- He received total compensation of €400,589 in 2025, the highest among ARD’s senior executives.
- When
- In 2025. The salary list was published on Monday, November 2, 2026.
- Where
- Germany, at the public broadcaster SWR.
- Why
- The ARD network published a new salary list. The sources do not state a further reason.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Gniffke received €392,530 in basic pay and €8,059 in benefits.
Joachim Knuth’s term as NDR chief ended.
Hendrik Lünenborg took over as NDR chief.
Barbara Massing took over as Deutsche Welle chief.
ARD published the new salary list.
- Kai Gniffke's total compensation
- €400,589
- Kai Gniffke's basic pay
- €392,530
- Kai Gniffke's benefits
- €8,059
- Second-highest total compensation
- Katrin Vernau, €359,500
- ARD executive team
- 12 people; more than €3 million in total compensation