Did the 41% increase in total CEO compensation translate into a comparable rise in shareholder return. In a word, NO. The average total shareholder return in 2007 for the companies involved was 13.2% meaning the CEOs got 27.8% more in compensation than shareholders got in return. Below is a table showing the 60 CEOs, the companies, total 2007 compensation, percent change from 2006, total shareholder return in 2007 and the difference between the increase in individual CEO compensation and the company’s total return. In the difference column positive numbers indicate the CEO’s increase was more than the shareholder return and negative numbers mean the CEO’s increase was less.

Compensation

What should your name be if you want to be on this list? If not the CEO, how about Chairman of the Board, CFO or one of the other most highly paid people in these companies? If you missed out, maybe naming your children after one of these people would increase their chances of bubbling to the top. We examined proxy circulars for these companies to find the first names of the 294 people who either chaired the company or were among the most highly paid individuals as indicated in the circulars. Where names like Alan, Ronald and Michael can be spelled or expressed in different ways, we’ve used one common spelling.

The results:

• There were only 11 women listed or less than 4% of the total population which indicates there is still a long way to go.
• Other than Galen, all the other names mentioned below are quite traditional, the type you would find on any Canadian street or classroom in the 1950s.
• If you want to be Chairman, we found that a guy named David chaired14% of these large companies. John was next at 10% and Robert came in at 8%. Other multiple mentions were Allan at 6% and Arthur, Frank and William at 4% each. These seven first names chaired half of Canada’s largest companies.
• If CEO is your game, Michael is your name. Four CEOs were named Michael, followed by three Donalds. Galen, Gerald, James, Jeffrey, John, Paul Pierre and Richard all had two mentions.
• If CFO is what you aspire to be, there are four each of Brian and Richard. William and Gregory come in three times each and there are two Pauls.
• How about just being one of the other most highly paid individuals in the company? If you can stoop to this, Robert should be your name with nine mentions, followed by Peter with eight and Michael and John with five each. Stephen, William, Richard, Mark and Donald all get four entries and Alan, Alexander, Brian, David, Eric, Gary and James all get three positions.
• The most popular names for all these positions are Robert (15), Peter/Pierre (13), Michael (13), Richard (12), John (12), David (11) and William (10). These seven names comprise over 29% of all the executives covered.