Nvidia Elevates CEO Jensen Huang's Pay After a Decade of Stability

In a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nvidia disclosed that its CEO, Jensen Huang, will receive a raise after a decade without one. For the fiscal year 2025, Huang's salary package will increase to $49.9 million, marking a notable rise from the $34.2 million he earned in fiscal year 2024, reflecting a 46% growth.

The compensation committee at Nvidia has justified this increase, emphasizing fairness in base pay among the company's executives and acknowledging Huang's critical contributions. Notably, this is the first time in ten years that Huang's base salary has shown an upward adjustment.

Breaking down the salary components, Huang’s base annual salary for 2025 will be $1.5 million, which is a 49% increase from 2024. Additionally, there is a $1 million increase in his variable cash compensation, showing a 50% growth. The substantial boost in stock awards, ballooning to $38.8 million, largely contributes to the total compensation amount.

Besides the salary increments related to his executive duties, Nvidia has also factored Huang’s distinguished profile into their compensation plan. For fiscal year 2025, they will allocate $3.5 million towards domestic security, consulting fees, and chauffeur services. The intention behind these provisions is to enable Huang to concentrate on his corporate responsibilities while mitigating potential security risks and minimizing threats to Nvidia's business operations.