Eli Lilly, Moderna and more: The 5 highest paid healthcare CEOs

Health care stocks underperformed the broader market in 2023, with many companies falling short of their profit targets, and some CEOs even missing out on bonuses. Yet, despite these setbacks, the chief executives of the industry’s top 300 companies still raked in a staggering $3.5 billion collectively last year, according to a new report by STAT News. Although average CEO pay dropped from $13 million in 2022 to $11 million in 2023, the highest earners still took home more than $100 million each.

Here’s how much money the the top five highest CEOs in healthcare made in 2023.

No. 5: Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks — $67.6 million

David Ricks, the CEO of Eli Lilly (LLY), which is known for its diabetes medications and weight loss drugs like Zepbound, earned $67.6 million in 2023.

No. 4: Royalty Pharma CEO Pablo Legorreta — $84.8 million

Pablo Legorreta, the CEO of Royalty Pharma (RPRX), the largest buyer of pharmaceutical royalties, was compensated $84.8 million in 2023.

No. 3: United Therapeutics CEO Martine Rothblatt — $85.4 million

Martine Rothblatt, the CEO of United Therapeutics (UTHR), a biotech public benefit corporation, was paid $85.4 million in 2023.

No. 2: Veeva Systems CEO Peter Gassner — $245.4 million

Peter Gassner, CEO of Veeva Systems (VEEV), a cloud computing company specializing in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, took home a whopping $245.4 million last year.

No. 1: Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel — $300.7 million

Despite having just one product on the market — and with declining demand, — Moderna (MRNA) made its CEO, Stéphane Bancel, the highest-paid executive in the healthcare sector in 2023, with total compensation amounting to $300.7 million.