Jobs received stock packages worth $646.6 million last year, twice as much as the second-highest paid CEO on the list, Occidental Petroleum's Ray Irani. (Somewhere, there's a joke about an oil executive named Irani, but anyway.)
Which means stock and stock options (much of which is restricted) - none of which is worth a dime if not sold or exercised.
I wish the media would stop treating this like some sort of shocking news, and learn a little about compensation (or at least quit turning it into something it's not). They're acting like Captain Renault at Rick's Cafe'...
Not to say he's living like a pauper, but what do they expect him to do? If I had his talent and vision and drive and value to his shareholders and customers, I'd expect the same.
Not this year, I don't think. This figure apparently represents previously granted options which have now vested and so would also include the substantial appreciation of market value of these options. These stories always seem to imply that Apple has paid Steve Jobs $646 million, which isn't nearly true.
Atleast its when Apple is doing good, if a company makes money, then a CEO should get paid more(not this much IMO), but if the company is doing bad, the CEO should make less, or none at all.