Top execs of Amsterdam listed firms earn avg. €5 million annually

The top executives of companies listed on the Amsterdam stock exchange AEX earned an average of 5 million euros last year, about 1 percent more than the year before, according to an analysis done by the Volkskrant.

American Nancy McKinstry of Wolters Kluwer is still the top earner, earning more than 15.6 million euros last year. That is nearly 200 thousand euros more than in 2015. Erik Engstorm, the Swedish boss of Relx, and Jean-Francois van Boxmeer, the Belgian CEO of Heineken, each also earned more than 10 million euros last year - 11.9 million and 11.6 million respectively. Though their earnings were somewhat lower than the year before.

Unilever CEO Paul Polman earned 8.4 million euros. Shell CEO Ben van Beeurden earned 8.5 million euros, compared to 5.5 million euros in 2015. According to the Volkskrant, the increase largely be attributed to a long-term bonus.

The fixed salaries of executives increased by an average of 6 percent to more than 900 thousand euros. The bonuses were 5.5 percent higher, nearly a million euros on average. At 11 of the 20 examined AEX companies, execs got an increase in compensation. The other nine companies paid their execs less.

A study done by Focus Orange on behalf of the Financieele Dagblad looked at only Dutch companies listed on the stock market. That study found that the chairmen of 22 large Dutch companies each earned an average of 4.3 million euros last year, 15 percent more than in 2015, ANP reports.