According L'Hebdo des AG, an expert in governance and investor relations issues, CEOs and general directors of CAC 40 companies in France could receive an average bonus of €5.3 million this year. This is €1.5 million more than to the €3.8 million allocated in 2020, and €500,000 more than the €4.8 million of 2019.
Senior executives of the Next 80—80 companies of the SBF 120, a French stock market index—were allocated €3.2 million by their boards, against €1.9 million last year and €2.2 million in 2019. Voted by shareholders between April and June, the 2021 remunerations correspond to targets based on a fixed salary, variable remuneration and a long-term incentive scheme.
One of the biggest changes over last year is beyond the “exclusively financial” performance of companies to include “extra-financial criteria.” Social and environmental responsible CEOS were rewarded an average 13% more for environmental targets and one in four bosses benefited from addressing work place equality.
To compare bonuses of France's leading bosses to footballer salaries, the average Paris Saint-Germain Football Club player earns €9.6 million a year before tax, with Neymar getting paid €36.7 million and Kylian Mbappé banking €25.2 million. Lionel Messi, who has signed a two-year deal with the club will earn, according to the Associated Press news agency approximately €35 million net.