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Measuring CEO Pay-for-Performance: Demonstrating Alignment with Shareholder Outcomes

Posted on March 18, 2026: By Ira T. Kay, Mike Kesner and Ed Sim
Measuring CEO Pay-for-Performance: Demonstrating Alignment with Shareholder Outcomes

Introduction: Why Pay-for-Performance Remains Contested

Demonstrating that executive compensation is meaningfully aligned with company performance and the shareholder experience remains one of the most important, and most debated, issues in U.S. executive pay decision-making and corporate governance in general. While boards, investors, executives, and proxy advisors broadly agree on the principle of “pay for performance,” there is far less agreement on how that alignment should be measured and evaluated in practice. READ MORE…

WRITTEN BY Ira T. Kay
Ira is a Managing Partner and founder with over 30 years experience and is one of the nation's foremost experts on executive compensation.
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WRITTEN BY Mike Kesner
Mike has over 40 years of experience assisting compensation committees and senior executives on executive compensation matters, including incentive plan design, succession planning, shareholder relations, and M&A. He is a thought leader and has written several articles on executive compensation.
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WRITTEN BY Ed Sim
Ed is a Consultant advising boards on executive pay, risk-aligned programs, and governance with published thought leadership.
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