Employee compensation revealed in latest tax return.
ICANN has published its FY 2015 tax return (pdf), revealing compensation paid to its key and most highly-compensated employees.
18 employees are listed with compensation of at least $250,000.
Fadi Chehade led the pack with $737,146 in reportable compensation.
Akram Atallah, president of the Global Domains Division, wasn’t far behind at $608,211. The other top paid employees are:
John Jeffrey, General Counsel and Secretary, $530,837
Yu Chuang Kuek, VP Global Stakeholder Engagement, $508,564
Susanna Bennett, COO $425,190
Theresa Swinehart, Sr. Advisor to President on Strategy $421,022
Xavier Calvez, CFO $373,561
ICANN’s published compensation policy is to provide compensation in the 50th to 75th percentile of similar positions at other non-profits and for-profit employers for which it competes for talent.
Of course, ICANN can’t offer stock options. However, its employees receive very generous benefits.
The last public document I can find (2014) revealed that employees receive a 5% contribution to their 401(k) without even requiring an employee contribution, plus an addition 10% match with immediate vesting.
You won’t find that kind of deal in the private sector.
(Hat tip: George Kirikos)
Nuno says
I should be working for ICANN instead of just funding them with so much money for the past 15 years.
Ken Schabelski says
…would be nice to know what they do to justify those amounts…
Andrew Allemann says
A lot of ICANN employees work very, very hard. I am surprised that the total comp is only in the 50-75% range, though.
JZ says
lord knows what they even do in a day.
Jacks Khawaja says
As a former employee, we worked very hard not only in the LA office but also abroad at ICANN meetings. A lot of travel is involved in ensuring security and stability for the Internet. Those outside of ICANN assume that it’s a big money grab, however; the staff a lot of hours every week to ensure that the mandates are being met…In addition, there’s a great deal of cooperation with various technical orgs.; however; you wouldn’t know unless you’re part of the community.
John says
What a BS
They are as useless as government bureaucrats
Joseph Peterson says
It’s easy to make scapegoats of well paid managers – especially when there’s widespread discontent and skepticism regarding ICANN policies, implementation, and susceptibility to special interests. But it’s important, I think, to focus on those actual issues rather become distracted by salaries which are, in reality, fairly ordinary.
There is NO global industry of any importance in which the top 2 dozen managers DON’T make at least $250k. To be sure, $737k in compensation is a large amount; but it’s actually typical or even a bit small in comparison to other companies and organization.
Keep in mind, that’s the top person at ICANN – the organization that oversees internet policy for the entire world. Regardless of whether you think $737k is fair or not, it is consistent with pay elsewhere.
For example, the top 15 presidents of private colleges in the USA were compensated between $1.3 million and $4.6 million annually in 2013. Even public colleges paid their top 15 presidents between $688k and $1.5 million per year.
Meanwhile Morgan Stanley pays its CEO something on the order of $21 million. A charity like UNICEF pays its CEO around $1.3 million and gives him a Rolls Royce, I believe. The American Red Cross pays its CEO around $652k, from what I can see. And the CEO of Goodwill – where we donate items we’re no longer using – makes around $2.5 million per year, as I recall.
In reality, if top executives aren’t paid the going rate, then they go elsewhere. ICANN policies are imperfect. But I’d still prefer to have well qualified people executing those imperfect policies rather than the dregs – executives who couldn’t get hired in other industries.
Note: A few years ago, I applied for a position at ICANN and never received a response. Seems only fair to admit that up front.
Andrew Allemann says
I think the CEO role is underpaid for what ICANN has become.
John says
He should quit then. McDonald’s is still hiring
HY says
Be careful what you wish for.
Carlton Samuels says
Definitely! +1