Discovery CEO David Zaslav took a significant pay cut in 2015, dropping to $33.3 million, down from $156.1 million in 2014, according to regulatory filings released on Wednesday.
While that is indeed a significant drop, don’t be expecting to see Zaslav in the poor house any time soon.
As part of his negotiation to remain the Discovery boss through 2019, Zaslav received more than $94 million in new stocks and options in 2014, which made up the bulk of the insane increase in his compensation over the previous year. His base salary remained steady at $3 million.
Zaslav’s compensation, being so closely tied to the finances of the company, is all part of Discovery’s long-term plan for stability and success, according to regulatory filings.
Executive salaries dropped across the board at Discovery Communications. CFO Andrew Warren earned $4.4 million in 2015, down from just under $7 million in 2014.
Likewise for Jean-Briac Perrette, president of Discovery Networks International, who went from $7.4 million in 2014 to $4.9 million in 2015.
Discovery Communications stock dipped just 0.53 percent at the close of market today.