The conversation around pay and equity in tech leadership is rarely simple.
It is shaped by company stage, region, market conditions, and investor pressure. At the same time, businesses are under more pressure than ever to balance budgets while still attracting and retaining the talent they need to grow.
This year’s CTO Compensation Report, produced in partnership with Albany Partners, takes a closer look at how leadership compensation is shifting in 2025.
Leadership salaries hold steady, but regional gaps remain:
Based on responses from 600 tech leaders across the UK, Europe and North America, this year’s data shows that overall salary ranges remain broadly in line with 2024 figures.
However, regional gaps remain significant. The US continues to lead on total cash compensation, often combining higher base salaries with substantial bonuses. But even within Europe, the picture is far from consistent.
For example, companies hiring in Amsterdam or Berlin typically expect to pay up to 20 percent more than they would for similar roles in Paris or Barcelona. In the UK, leadership salaries in London continue to outpace other regions, reflecting both market demand and cost-of-living factors.
While remote and hybrid working models have opened up access to a wider talent pool, location still plays a major role in shaping compensation decisions.
Equity offers are becoming more structured, but still vary widely:
Equity remains a key part of leadership packages, especially in venture-backed and early-stage businesses where cash is often more limited.
What has changed is how companies present and structure these offers.
While equity used to be described almost exclusively as a percentage of ownership, many companies are now framing it as a multiple of base salary. This is typically in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 times base salary. The aim is to create consistency while keeping leaders focused on long-term value creation.
This year’s survey revealed that the average initial equity allocation across all respondents was £468,000, with a median of £170,000. However, there were some much larger outliers, including several packages exceeding £1 million in value.
One standout example came from a pre-Series A company offering a £150,000 base salary pre series A, and a £250,000 post with a 5% equity allocation. While these types of offers are less common, they reflect the high-risk, high-reward nature of early leadership roles.
Leaders are digging deeper into long-term value
Beyond the headline numbers, tech leaders are increasingly focused on understanding the true value of their equity.
They are asking tougher questions about projected exit values, company performance, and the timeline to realise returns. Strike price, dilution risk, and realistic growth forecasts are all part of these discussions.
With the market still feeling the aftershocks of recent recalibration, this more cautious approach is becoming standard.
Get the full picture
For businesses hiring senior tech talent, and for leaders negotiating their next move, understanding what is happening in the market has never been more important.
