Bodyguards, security costs, and private jets: Companies can spend millions protecting CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook (2024)

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David Solomon: $73,138 in 2021

Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO David Solomon made $39,545,072 in total compensation in fiscal year 2021, according to Goldman's 2022 proxy statement.

In addition to his salary, bonus, and stock awards, he received $264,892 in "other compensation," which included $10,938 for personal security, and $62,200 for a car and driver.

Goldman considers personal security, as well as the car and driver, as a business-related necessity "due to the high-profile standing of our CEO," per the filing.

Source: SEC

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Jamie Dimon: $277,659 in 2021

As CEO and Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon earned $84,428,145 in total compensation in fiscal year 2021, according to the bank's most recent proxy statement. That number included $146,847 for personal use of the company's aircraft, $30,099 for personal use of the company's cars, and $100,713 for security for his residence and personal travel.

Dimon's personal use of the company's aircraft, cars, and security are part of security measures approved by the bank's board, according to the filing.

Source: SEC

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Dara Khosrowshahi: $507,579 in 2021

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's CEO, earned $19,937,818 in fiscal year 2021, which included $507,738 in "other compensation," according to the company's 2022 proxy statement. His security and personal safety costs added up to $507,579 — $402,366of which was for personal transportation services and $105,213 of which was for "protective intelligence services."

Uber's filing says its security program includes certified protection officers, as well as secure meeting spaces and lodging for its executives.

In 2021, Uber provided security staff at Khosrowshahi's residence, along with technology equipment, "and services to Mr. Khosrowshahi at his home that were intended to duplicate, as best as possible, those services that would have been provided to him at our corporate headquarters, in order to make his home secure and functional as his primary workplace, to comply with local stay at home orders in effect as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and based on our assessment of the credibility of threats that were made against Mr. Khosrowshahi."

The company's filing said that since it implemented its security programit "has identified actual and credible threats to Mr. Khosrowshahi's safety as a result of the high-profile nature of being our CEO."

Source: SEC

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Andy Jassy: $589,149 in 2021

Amazon President and CEO Andy Jassy earned $212,701,169 in total compensation in fiscal year 2021, which included $592,649 in "other compensation," according to Amazon's most recent proxy statement.

The company spent $589,149 on Jassy's security arrangements, both at business facilities and during business travel. The filing says "security costs are reasonable and necessary and for the Company's benefit."

Source: SEC

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Bob Iger: $878,206 in 2022

Bob Iger served as executive chairman at The Walt Disney Company before being reappointed as CEO in November 2022. In fiscal year 2022, Iger was not serving as an executive officer, but still earned $14,998,299 in fiscal year 2022, $2,466,520 of which was in "other compensation," according to the company's proxy statement filed last month.

Iger's personal air travel cost $47,769, and his security cost $830,437.

Source: SEC, Insider

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Ted Sarandos: $1,101,063 in 2021

Ted Sarandos, who served as co-CEO of Netflix with Reed Hastings in 2021, as well as chief content officer, earned $38,232,164 in total compensation for that fiscal year, according to the company's proxy statement.

That included $1,112,663 in "other compensation," such as $16,353 for car services, $192,137 for personal use of the company's aircraft, and $892,573 for residential security.

Source: SEC, Insider

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Tim Cook: $1,358,515 in 2022

Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $99,420,097 in total compensation in fiscal year 2022, according to the company's SEC filing. That included $1,425,933 in "other compensation" — like $591,196 in security expenses and $767,319 for his personal private aircraft use.

Apple's Board requires Cook to use private aircraft for business and personal travel "for security and efficiency reasons."

Source: SEC

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Marc Benioff: $1,446,977 in 2022

Marc Benioff was Salesforce co-CEO and chair of the Board during the fiscal year 2022, in which when he earned $28,602,112 in total compensation, according to the company's most recent proxy statement.

His total compensation incorporated $1,451,977 in "other compensation," including costs for his security that amounted to $1,446,977. Salesforce says Benioff's security is "a necessary and appropriate business expense" in its filing.

Source: SEC, Insider

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Larry Ellison: $1,564,394 in 2022

Larry Ellison, chairman and chief technology officer at Oracle, earned $138,652,063 in total compensation in fiscal year 2022, according to the company's proxy statement. His "other compensation" amounted to $1,577,707, which included $1,564,394 for security for his primary residence. Ellison,himself, pays for security for his other residences, according to the filing.

Source: SEC

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Jeff Bezos: $1,600,000 in 2021

Amazon founder and executive chair Jeff Bezos earned $1,681,840 in total compensation in fiscal year 2021, $1,600,000 of which was in "other compensation," according to the company's proxy statement.

His other compensation "represents the approximate aggregate incremental cost to Amazon of security arrangements for Mr. Bezos in addition to security arrangements provided at business facilities and for business travel," the filing says.

Amazon said in its filing that the costs for Bezos's security are "especially reasonable" because he has a "low salary" and hasn't received any stock-based pay.

The company was granted permission to install bulletproof panels to Bezos's office in January 2019. They cost $180,000 to install, and can reportedly withstand gunshots from a military-grade assault rifle.

Bezos's entourage of security personnel can seem overwhelming even to people used to an entourage.

When Bezos was on set for his cameo in "Star Trek Beyond," actor Chris Pine said, "I was there for the bit with his, like, nine bodyguards and three limos. It was really intense."

Pine said he didn't know who Bezos was, but that "he was obviously very important."

Source: SEC, Insider, Insider

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Sundar Pichai: $4,309,583 in 2021

Google CEO Sundar Pichai earned $6,322,599 in compensation for fiscal year 2021, according to the company's proxy statement.

His "other compensation" beyond his salary amounted to $4,322,599 — $4,309,583 of which was for personal security. His other compensation also includes personal use of Google's aircraft, but that dollar amount was not listed.

Pichai's security had to be stepped up in 2018 after a woman shot three people, then herself, at YouTube headquarters in April of that year.

Source: SEC, Insider

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Mark Zuckerberg: $26,823,060 in 2021

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg earned $26,823,061 in total compensation during fiscal year 2021, according to the company's SEC filing. Although his salary is listed as $1, Zuckerberg received $26,823,060 in "other compensation."

This amount included $15,195,103 in security costs for his residences and during personal travel, and he receives an annual pre-tax allowance of $10,000,000 to cover any additional costs for his and his family's personal security. His other compensation also includes $1,627,957 for his personal private aircraft use.

According to an Insider investigation into Facebook's security operations, Zuckerberg has 24/7 protection, and one of his Bay Area homes has a panic room.

The investigation also found that there's a rumor among Facebook employees of a "panic chute" at the Facebook office in case Zuckerberg and his team need to evacuate.

Source: SEC, Insider