David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, received $51.9 million in total salary in 2024, a 4.5% increase over the $49.7 million he received the year before.
$3 million in salary, $23,098,980 in stock awards, $23,897,060 in non-equity incentive plan compensation, and $1,922,523 in “other” compensation—which included basic life insurance payments of $1,805, disability/long-term care payments of $6,912, 401(k) matching contributions of $20,700, a car allowance of $17,446 and $991,179 for personal security expenses for Zaslav at his homes and when traveling—were all included in the 2024 package.
Additionally, Zaslav received $16,249 for “tax gross-ups associated with business associate and spousal travel on corporate aircraft at the request of the company that is considered business use” and $813,990 for personal use of corporate aircraft, including family travel, for which Zaslav is not given a tax gross-up.
The wage ratio to Zaslav was 398 to 1, with the median WBD employee earning $130,316 annually.
Gunnar Wiedenfels, the chief financial officer of WBD, earned $17.06 million in 2024, which was the same amount as in 2023.
The 2024 package included a salary of $2,126,554; stock awards of $8,304,908; option awards of $1,753,532; non-equity incentive plan compensation of $4,811,246; and “other” compensation of $61,344 that included basic life payments of $1,805, disability/long-term care payments of $4,361, and 401(k) matching contributions of $20,700. It also contained $17,601 for the reimbursement of tax obligations related to the Olympics Hospitality Program and $16,877 for the Olympics Hospitality Program.
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Zaslav and Wiedenfels “exceeded expectations and over-delivered with respect to their respective strategic goals,” according to the executive compensation committee, which authorized a payout for a portion of the pair’s 2024 cash bonuses based on strategic merits at 115% and 114% of target, respectively, according to WBD’s 2025 proxy statement.
The executive compensation disclosures coincide with WBD’s shares rising 2.5% over the last six months but declining 9.7% over the last year and 27.6% so far this year.
Along with Zaslav and Wiedenfels, the proxy disclosed that JB Perrette, the president and CEO of WBD Global Streaming and Games, had a 2% decrease in 2024 compensation, from $20.1 million to $19.7 million.
He received $2,658,193 in salary, $8,700,661 in stock awards, $1,863,124 in option awards, $6,400,990 in non-equity incentive plan compensation, and $101,595 in “other” compensation, which included $11,885 in 401(k) matching contributions, $1,805 in basic life payments, and $1,316 in disability/long-term care payments. Along with $27,784 for spousal attendance at Company events, such as the Olympics Hospitality Program, and $16,324 for reimbursement of tax liabilities related to the Olympics Hospitality Program, it also included $42,481 for personal tax services rendered to Perrette as part of WBD’s relocation policy because he moved from the U.K. to the U.S. in 2022.
John Malone, who is moving into the position of chair emeritus, received $371,610 in total compensation for serving on the board of directors of WBD. This includes $221,610 in stock awards and $150,000 in cash fees collected or paid.
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