This IIT alumnus of Indian origin earns more than Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg.

By Manasi
4 minute read

Synopsis : Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, earns $151.43 million, surpassing Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg. Arora, an IIT alumnus, previously held top roles at Google and SoftBank and leads the cybersecurity company for six years.


This IIT alumnus of Indian origin earns more than Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg.


Nikesh Arora, an Indian-origin CEO based in the US, currently earns more than Google’s Sundar Pichai and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. According to a Wall Street Journal report detailing the top 10 highest-earning CEOs in the US, Arora ranks second, just behind Broadcom’s CEO Hock Tan. As the CEO of Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity company, Arora’s compensation totals $151.43 million, compared to Zuckerberg’s $24.40 million and Pichai’s $8.8 million.


Who is Nikesh Arora?

Arora’s educational journey began at Air Force Public School in Delhi. He then pursued a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT-BHU, followed by an MBA from Northeastern University in Boston, and an MS in Finance from Boston College.


Before becoming the CEO of Palo Alto Networks, Arora held key positions at several renowned companies. He was the Chief Business Officer at Google and served as President and Chief Operating Officer at SoftBank. Arora has been leading Palo Alto Networks for six years now.


This isn’t the first time Arora has made headlines for his high compensation. In 2012, he was the highest-paid executive at Google, with a $51 million package. By the end of his tenure at Google, he had amassed stock awards worth $200 million.


Justifying these significant stock awards, Palo Alto Networks explained, “Because of this significant vested ownership and the amount that Mr. Arora was projected to vest in over the next several years, the Board determined that a meaningful equity award would be necessary to ensure that such an award retains and engages Mr. Arora.”


During his time at SoftBank, Arora’s compensation was reported to be $135 million, according to Bloomberg. He was considered a potential successor to the legendary investor Masayoshi Son.


Related Questions

1. How much does Nikesh Arora earn as the CEO of Palo Alto Networks?

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Nikesh Arora earns $151.43 million as the CEO of Palo Alto Networks.

2. How does Arora's compensation compare to Sundar Pichai's and Mark Zuckerberg's earnings?

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Arora's compensation is significantly higher than Sundar Pichai's $8.8 million and Mark Zuckerberg's $24.40 million.

3. What was Arora's highest compensation package during his tenure at Google?

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In 2012, Arora was the highest-paid executive at Google with a $51 million package.

4. What positions did Arora hold before becoming the CEO of Palo Alto Networks?

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Before becoming the CEO of Palo Alto Networks, Arora was the Chief Business Officer at Google and served as President and Chief Operating Officer at SoftBank.

5. Why did Palo Alto Networks justify significant stock awards to Arora?

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Palo Alto Networks justified significant stock awards to Arora to ensure his retention and engagement, given his significant vested ownership and projected vesting over the next several years.

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