Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., has publicly disclosed CEO Sundar Pichai’s compensation package for the year 2024, offering a detailed insight into the tech leader’s earnings and perks. According to Alphabet’s 2025 Proxy Statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Sundar Pichai’s total compensation for the year stood at $10.72 million, marking a stark decline from his eye-popping $226 million compensation reported in 2022.
The substantial decrease is not reflective of performance or demotion but primarily stems from the absence of a triennial equity award — a massive stock-based incentive that had significantly boosted his pay package in 2022. In years when such triennial awards are not granted, the compensation appears comparatively modest, though it remains well above typical CEO earnings in other industries.
A Breakdown of the Compensation Package
Sundar Pichai’s 2024 earnings consisted of a $2 million base salary, which has remained unchanged since 2020, showcasing a level of consistency in his fixed pay. The remainder of his compensation — approximately $8.72 million — came from stock-based awards, bonuses, and a variety of other executive perks.
However, what’s particularly striking is that a majority of this non-salary compensation is not performance-linked bonuses or traditional stock options, but rather an unusually high allocation towards personal security — a rising trend among tech executives in recent years, especially in high-profile firms like Alphabet.
Security Spending Soars: $8.27 Million Allocated for 2024
One of the most attention-grabbing figures in the proxy statement is the $8.27 million Alphabet spent on Pichai’s personal security in 2024. This figure marks a 22% increase from the $6.78 million spent in 2023. Security expenses now make up more than 77% of Pichai’s total annual compensation, a reflection of the growing costs — and perceived necessity — of protecting one of the world’s most influential tech leaders.
According to the proxy statement, the rise in costs was largely attributed to increased travel by Pichai throughout 2024. In response to growing global threats to high-profile individuals, particularly in tech and corporate leadership, Alphabet continues to invest heavily in Pichai’s safety, both at home and while abroad.
The security provisions include:
-
Residential security installations and consultations
-
Professional monitoring services
-
Personal security personnel
-
Driver and vehicle services
-
Comprehensive protection during all travel – domestic and international
Alphabet’s Justification for High Security Spending
In its filing, Alphabet emphasized that these security arrangements are not considered personal perks, but are a direct result of Pichai’s role and responsibilities as the CEO of one of the world’s most powerful technology companies. The company stated:Alphabet has been consistent in defending these high expenditures, reiterating that the security arrangements are essential to safeguard the continuity and stability of the company’s leadership, given the increasingly hostile and complex global environment.
Comparison with Previous Years and Other Executives
This year’s compensation drop might appear significant when compared to 2022’s $226 million, but that year included a triennial stock award worth over $218 million, pushing the figure to unusually high levels. By contrast, in 2023, Sundar Pichai’s total compensation was far closer to this year’s — in the range of $10 to $12 million, based on routine annual bonuses and stock awards.
Pichai’s $2 million base salary has remained flat since 2020, but the security costs have increased every year, from around $4.6 million in 2021, to $6.7 million in 2023, and now $8.27 million in 2024. This reflects not only global risks, but also Alphabet’s shifting priorities in safeguarding its top executive.
When compared with executives at rival companies:
-
Apple’s Tim Cook had a total compensation of $63.2 million in 2023, though a substantial portion was stock.
-
Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg earned just $1 in salary, but received over $27 million in security and private jet expenses in 2023.
-
Amazon’s Andy Jassy earned around $1.3 million in salary and $200 million in stock-based compensation when appointed CEO in 2021, with additional perks for security.
In this context, Pichai’s earnings are modest — particularly given that Alphabet is one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Sundar Pichai’s Role and Global Presence in 2024
Sundar Pichai’s extensive global presence in 2024 contributed significantly to the spike in security-related costs. As CEO of both Google and Alphabet, Pichai frequently represents the company at international summits, innovation forums, government-level discussions, and regulatory hearings.
Throughout the year, Pichai made headlines with his attendance at:
-
AI and technology summits in Europe and Asia
-
Bilateral tech innovation meetings with government leaders
-
Climate change and sustainability forums representing Google’s green initiatives
-
Cybersecurity and global policy roundtables
With rising global scrutiny around AI, data privacy, misinformation, and antitrust concerns, Pichai’s leadership has placed him in a politically sensitive spotlight. Heightened travel also includes trips to potentially high-risk regions or events with large public exposure, which amplifies the necessity — and cost — of maintaining tight personal security protocols.
Why the Triennial Stock Award Matters
To fully understand the fluctuation in Pichai’s compensation, one must note Alphabet’s practice of granting large equity awards every three years to its CEO. The last major award was in 2019, vesting across a multi-year period. In 2022, a new grant brought Pichai’s total reported pay to over $226 million — one of the highest CEO compensation packages globally.
Such stock grants are performance-based and are not repeated annually, hence the dramatic year-to-year differences. Without the 2022 stock package, Pichai’s compensation aligns with or is even below that of many other Silicon Valley leaders, particularly considering Alphabet’s scale.
