Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav, a year after one-time incentives inflated his annual compensation to $156.1 million, received $32.4 million in 2015, a 79% decline and the lowest he has received since 2009 when he earned total compensation of $11.7 million.
Zaslav’s 2014 compensation was laden with one-time incentives tied to a new six-year employment deal he signed at the time.
According to a proxy filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Wednesday night, Zaslav’s 2015 annual salary rose to $3.12 million from $3 million. The CEO saw the biggest decline in stock awards and option awards – he received $11.3 million in stock wards (vs. $94.6 million in 2014) and $10.5 million in option awards (vs. $50.5 million in 2014).
Other executives also saw declines in overall compensation. Chief financial officer Andrew Warren (who has previously announced his intention to resign at the end of the year) received $5 million in overall compensation in 2015, down 27.5% from $6.9 million in 2014. Chief development, distribution and legal officer Bruce Campbell received $6.8 million in total compensation in 2015, down 10.5% from $7.6 million in 2014.
Discovery Networks International president Jean-Briac Perrette received a 51% boost in total compensation to $7.4 million in 2015 from $4.9 million in the prior year. Chief human resources and global diversity officer Adria Alpert Romm received $2.5 million in total compensation in 2015, up 19% from $2.1 million in 2014.
