Chinese electric-vehicle maker Li Auto’s founder and CEO Li Xiang topped Hong Kong’s paid director ranking for 2024 with a total remuneration package of about HK$680 million (US$87.4 million).
According to the latest director pay league table published by Webb-site on Sunday, the financial data platform founded by corporate governance activist David Webb, Li’s HK$679.78 million package was made up of HK$676.78 million in stock options and a HK$2.83 million base salary.
The ranking table analysed remuneration data – including salary and benefits, bonus, retirement benefits and share-based payments – for 1,000 directors across almost all listed companies in Hong Kong.
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According to the survey, 31 directors sitting on the boards of Hong Kong-listed companies received annual compensation packages exceeding HK$100 million.
Wang Xuning, chairman and CEO of Chinese small kitchen appliance maker JS Global Lifestyle – which operates the well-known mainland brand Joyoung – ranked second on the league table with total earnings of HK$520.51 million.
While Li Auto’s stock performance slumped 35.7 per cent last year, the company reported a return on equity of 11.9 per cent. JS Global Lifestyle’s stock price, meanwhile, gained 7.5 per cent last , but reported a negative return on equity of 14.5 per cent.
Rounding out the top three places was Li Jie, founder of Asian courier services provider J&T Express, who received a package of HK$518.82 million.
The company, which went public in Hong Kong in 2023, derived most of its revenue from China and Southeast Asian markets in the first half of the year.
Liu Qiangdong, the billionaire founder of e-commerce platform JD.com, came in at fourth place with a total remuneration of HK$448.8 million.
HSBC Group Chief Executive Georges Elhedery was ranked Hong Kong’s 23rd highest-paid executive, according to Webb-site: Photo: SCMP alt=HSBC Group Chief Executive Georges Elhedery was ranked Hong Kong’s 23rd highest-paid executive, according to Webb-site: Photo: SCMP>
In terms of company-wide remuneration, JS Global Lifestyle was the most generous, paying HK$783.43 million in total compensation to its directors via fees and shares.
In terms of cash payment, the top payer was New World Development, with HK$187.6 million in salaries and benefits. Prada paid the most in fees, shelling out HK$376.9 million to its directors.
