Boutique Investment Bank Pay Jumps 40%, as Investors Up pressure on Exec Awards
Financial News
The average pay for chief executives in boutique investment banks jumped to $14.2m in 2024, according to analysis of banks’ proxy statements by Wall Street compensation consultants Johnson Associates.
This was an increase of 40% on the prior year, which was far higher than the average rise at major banks. CEOs of big lenders received $35.5m on average, however, which was up by 15% compared with a year earlier.
Banks are facing more scrutiny from shareholders on the pay packets they hand out to top executives, Johnson Associates said, with one-off bonuses for CEOs shrinking as a result. The research found 16 awards worth a combined $53m were handed out, compared with $227m a year earlier.
“Due to shareholder pushback in prior years and the market environment, we noticed a significant decrease in the number and magnitudes of one-time awards,” the consultant said.
Financial News / June 12, 2025
