Charter CEO Chris Winfrey’s Pay Rises to $89M in 2023
Charter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey received a compensation package worth $89 million in 2023, up significantly from a $15.6 million package he received in 2022. Last year was Winfrey’s first full year as CEO of the cable giant, taking over at the end of 2022. A Securities and Exchange Commission filing issued March 4 by Charter indicated Winfrey’s base salary for 2023 was $1.7 million, up from a year-earlier $1.35 million. The bulk of Winfrey’s overall pay was in option awards, with the executive receiving $75 million in option awards, after taking home $12 million in 2020. He also received $8.7 million in stock awards, and $3.5 million in non-equity incentive plan comp. Winfrey’s overall pay is tied to Charter’s new 5-year performance-based equity program for executive officers, which has yardsticks like stock performance and time-based vesting criteria to ensure compensation reflects share price gains for investors. Tom Rutledge retired as Charter CEO in 2022 and took on the role of executive chairman, with Winfrey tapped to replace him. Last year, Rutledge took home $19.5 …