Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella received a record $96.5 million in 2025 — 22% more than the year before. Of that total, $84 million came in company stock, $9.5 million was a bonus, and $2.5 million was base salary. This substantial package coincided with the largest wave of layoffs the corporation has seen in recent years.
Since the start of 2025, Microsoft has cut more than 15,000 positions across several divisions, including its gaming and sales teams. The biggest reduction occurred in July, when 9,000 employees were let go — roughly 4% of the company’s 228,000-strong workforce. In May, the company had already eliminated another 6,000 roles.
In a letter to shareholders, Nadella described the moves as among the hardest decisions of his tenure. Despite challenges and a downturn in the gaming sector, Microsoft reported a 15% year-over-year increase in revenue, is actively rolling out its AI-powered Copilot tools, and continues to expand its global cloud infrastructure.
According to a former vice president of human resources, reducing executive pay would not be enough to offset the costs of preserving jobs — which for Microsoft can reach up to $1 billion for every 10,000 employees.
Source: iXBT.games