2024 Remuneration Trends for Boards & Executives in C25 Companies

Deloitte has published its annual analysis of Board and Executive remuneration within Danish C25 companies for 2024. The report offers the latest insights into the remuneration trends of these leading companies, and is based on data from remuneration reports relating to financial periods ending between June and December 2024.

In addition to revealing the medians on various remuneration components for CEOs, CFOs and Board members, the report also highlights the growing trend of incorporating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics into Executive remuneration. The report concludes with a look ahead to the remuneration topics and trends that Boards should be mindful to address in 2025.

Here are the Top 10 key messages:

1. Total actual remuneration was DKK 23.2m (median), which was substantially unchanged from 2023.
2. Continued increase in actual long-term incentives (LTI) for CEOs, also from 2023 to 2024
3. Increased total actual CFO remuneration from DKK 12.5m in 2023 to DKK 14.5m in 2024 (median) mainly driven by an increase in actual bonus and base salary but also increases in total remuneration to four new CFOs
4. More C25 companies incorporated ESG and climate metrics in the Executives’ annual bonus and long-term incentives.
5. The percentage of 1.6% which is the median actual climate bonus expensed of total remuneration to Executives indicate that we are at the beginning of a long-term journey towards net-zero
6. Many companies have significant work cut out for them in 2025 in terms of revisiting emissions baseline, calibrating targets and developing a climate transition plan
7. Increased Board member base pay of 4.8% in 2024 to DKK 472k (median)
8. Increased Board Chair pay of 8.1% in 2024 to DKK 1.46m (median)
9. Expected increased Board member base pay in 2025 of 4.2% to DKK 491k (median)
10. Expected increased Board Chair pay in 2025 of 2.2% to DKK 1.49m (median)

Deloitte continues to advise clients on remuneration strategy, design, committee work, policy, implementation, communication, and reporting. For more insights and detailed analysis, feel free to explore the full report or contact our Board and Executive remuneration advisors.