Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg received $9.4 million in direct compensation last year, part of a broader surge in executive pay as the aerospace giant continues its recovery from a turbulent 2024.
According to regulatory filings released Friday, Ortberg’s 2025 package included a $1.5 million base salary, $3.9 million in performance-based incentives, $3.9 million in vested stock units, and $650,000 in additional benefits such as retirement contributions and access to corporate jets. He was also granted $17.5 million in company stock that will vest over the next three years.
The disclosure highlights how Boeing’s leadership shake-up and financial turnaround translated into significant rewards for top executives. Boeing replaced key positions last year, including CEO, CFO, head of commercial airplanes, head of defense and space, and VP of government operations and public policy.
Other executives saw large pay increases as well. New CFO Jay Malave earned $20.2 million after joining Boeing from Lockheed Martin, while Stephanie Pope, head of commercial airplanes, saw her compensation rise 44% to $14.4 million, mainly through cash bonuses and vested stock awards.
Boeing said the higher payouts reflect the company’s operational progress and recovery. In 2025, employees eligible for performance bonuses received 131% of their target, a dramatic increase from 2024, when most commercial and defense division workers received no bonus. Median employee pay also rose 33%, from $106,624 to $141,933, though Ortberg’s compensation remained 166 times higher than that of the typical Boeing worker.
“These payouts reflect significant progress toward stabilizing our business,” the company noted in its filing, underscoring gains for executives and select employees alike.