HCM & HRIS

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell earned $85 million last year, document shows

April 21, 2026
www.ETHRWorld.com
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  • Published On Apr 21, 2026 at 07:45 PM IST

< />By Echo Wang<br /><br /> New York: SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell earned $85.8 million in total compensation last year, a company prospectus showed, placing her among the highest‑paid U.S. executives.<br /><br /><!– PROMOSLOT_M –> Shotwell, who is also chief operating officer, earned a salary of $1 million, with most of her compensation coming from stock options and awards, according to an ‌excerpt of ⁠SpaceX’s S‑1 ⁠filing.<br /><br /> Companies use the registration document to disclose their finances and risks before going public.<br /><br /><div class=” article-detail-ad-slot=”” captionrendered=”1″ data-src=”https://etimg.etb2bimg.com/photo/130420216.cms” height=”442″ loading=”eager” src=”https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/images/default.jpg” width=”590″></img></p> </div> <p> Elon Musk’s SpaceX has filed confidentially for a U.S. IPO, Reuters reported this month, paving the way for a potential record‑breaking listing valued at around $1.75 trillion.</p> <p> Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnson earned total compensation of $9.8 million, while billionaire CEO Musk, the majority shareholder in SpaceX, paid himself ⁠a salary ‌of $54,080, the excerpt from the prospectus showed.</p> <p> SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.</p> <p> The compensation figures, which have ⁠not been previously reported, place Shotwell’s pay above many other high-profile tech executives.</p> <p> Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earned $79 million in 2024, while Apple’s Tim Cook took home $75 million, according to compensation data compiled by Equilar.</p> <p> Shotwell has a net worth of $3.4 billion, according to Forbes.</p> <p> Although Musk is the public face of SpaceX, 62‑year‑old Shotwell manages much of the company’s day‑to‑day grind.</p> <p> That involves converting Musk’s ‌futuristic vision into the practical realities of manufacturing rockets, deploying satellites and lining up commercial, government and military customers.</p> <p> Shotwell joined SpaceX in 2002 as vice ⁠president of business development, becoming employee No. 7 at the then‑fledgling company.</p> <p> She has been a central behind‑the‑scenes figure in building demand for SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket, as well as its Starlink satellite broadband constellation, which now generates the bulk of the company’s revenue and profit.</p> <p> A mechanical engineer by training, Shotwell began her career at Chrysler Motors before moving into the space industry.</p> <p> (Reporting by Echo Wang; additional reporting by Chris Sanders; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)</p> <div> <div> <ul> <li><a href=Reuters

  • Published On Apr 21, 2026 at 07:45 PM IST

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