Ira T. Kay
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Ira T. Kay Kay
Ira T. Kay, global practice director for executive compensation at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, argues that despite pay packages that can easily run into eight figures and endless headlines about directors awarding raises to C.E.O.'s even as their companies underperform the competition, everyone is missing the point. He writes that those images now overshadow the reality of thousands of successful companies with appropriately paid executives and conscientious boards. Mr. Kay never defines what fair C.E.O. recompense would be. Ira T. Kay, global practice director for executive compensation at Watson Wyatt Worldwide, argues that despite pay packages that can easily run into eight figures and endless headlines about directors awarding raises to C.E.O.'s even as their companies underperform the competition, everyone is missing the point. He remains adamant that cutting back on the boss's compensation would be wrong, stating that executives should be paid commensurate with the skills and talents they bring to the organization. He adds that pay cuts would lead to higher turnover and less talent in the executive suite as the most qualified candidates move into other professions.