Morgan Stanley CEO Earns $45 Million After Stellar Year

Morgan Stanley boosted Chief Executive Officer Ted Pick's compensation to $45 million for the 2025 fiscal year, marking a substantial increase from his $34 million award in 2024. This decision by the board's compensation committee acknowledges an "outstanding" performance, highlighted by the bank's strongest year on record.

In 2025, Morgan Stanley reported record earnings per share, fueled in part by its strategic expansion into debt capital markets, particularly financing projects linked to the artificial intelligence boom. The firm's stock also saw impressive growth, surging 41% during the year and significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 16% gain.

During 2025, Ted Pick, who took the helm in early 2024, also successfully negotiated the acquisition of EquityZen, a platform for trading private company shares. This period saw other major financial executives also receive considerable pay increases, with compensation for leaders at Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase also rising.