Britain's top corporate executives have seen their pay and benefits surge three times faster than ordinary workers over the past year, according to new research from the High Pay Centre. The average FTSE 100 chief executive received a 15% increase in total compensation, reaching £5.2 million, while typical employees saw a modest 4.85% rise.
Growing Disparity Raises Concerns
Andrew Speke, spokesperson for the High Pay Centre, described the widening gap as "both shocking and concerning." He argued that a 15% pay increase for chief executives, at a time when real-term wages are stagnating and living standards are falling, "is in neither the country nor the economy's best interests. This reflects corporate short-termism at its clearest."
The research, based on data from 64 of the 100 FTSE 100 companies, indicates that the average boardroom boss earns 95 times more than the typical UK worker. The figures encompass salaries, bonuses, pension contributions, and other perks.
Notable Examples of Soaring Pay
Some executives have enjoyed even larger increases. Linda Z Cook, CEO of Harbour Energy, saw her total compensation more than triple from £3 million in 2024 to nearly £11 million in 2025. Her package included a salary rise from £904,000 to £975,000, a £1.5 million annual bonus, and £7.5 million from a long-term reward scheme. Since taking over in 2021, Cook has earned approximately £25.4 million. Critics have slammed her for benefiting financially from the Iran war and surging oil prices, with her stake in Harbour Energy increasing by £4.3 million to £26.2 million between the start of the Middle East conflict and early April.
Iván Arriagada, boss of mining giant Antofagasta, received £5.36 million last year, a 75% jump from just over £3 million in 2024. Lord Wolfson, CEO of fashion retailer Next, saw his already substantial pay rise by more than 50% to £7.4 million. His £967,000 basic salary was supplemented by nearly £6.2 million in bonuses, equating to roughly 192 times the average UK worker's earnings. Next's profits rose 14.5% to over £1.1 billion, with sales reaching £7 billion.
Calls for Balanced Corporate Reward Models
Speke warned that companies should be concerned about these trends, as research indicates that when CEO pay rises significantly faster than employee pay, firms may face operational and reputational risks, including staff turnover, weakened morale, and absenteeism, all of which can undermine productivity.
He urged policymakers, regulators, and companies to strive for a balanced, fair, and sustainable model of corporate reward that recognizes the indispensable value of the workforce alongside executive leadership. "Addressing pay gaps should not be viewed solely as a matter of fairness, but also a vital step in building a resilient and productive business model," Speke added.
