Skydance’s top brass just got a hefty pay bump — right after the $110 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery closed. David Ellison, Andy Gordon, Makan Delrahim and Dennis Cinelli have all signed new contracts extending their roles through 2031 or 2032, with salary hikes, bonus boosts and stock awards that add up to tens of millions in value over the next decade. Ellison’s base salary is now $5 million, with a $5 million target bonus and 104,167 RSUs. Gordon and Delrahim each get $4 million salaries and $2.6 million bonuses, plus 29,167 and 91,667 shares respectively. Cinelli’s package: $3.4 million base, $2.6 million bonus, 6,042 RSUs. And starting 2027, they’ll each be eligible for annual equity grants worth millions, peaking at $20 million for Ellison by 2031. The SEC filing confirms the extensions, but the market didn’t react well: Skydance shares dropped nearly 7% on Tuesday, closing at $8.89. The company’s new ticker, SKYD, debuted on the NYSE. The merger’s been official since Monday, but the real test begins now. Not just for the business, but for the people who built it. The question isn’t whether the executives are paid enough. It’s whether the new entity can deliver on the promise of scale without collapsing under its own weight. One thing’s certain: the clock’s ticking on the next move.
Photo via TheWrapSkydance Execs Get Massive Pay Hikes After Merger, But Market Sinks
Skydance execs get massive pay hikes post-merger, but shares drop as investors eye the future.
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