Quartz
Subscribe
Quartz
Subscribe
Edition
Business News
A.I.
Technology
Money & Markets
Leadership
Lifestyle
Latest

Get Quartz in your inbox

Free daily briefing on global business news.

Business News
AirlinesAutomobilesFoodPharmaceuticalsPolitics & GovernmentRetail & EcommerceSpace & AerospaceEarnings
Technology
A.I.ComputingConsumer TechSpace & AerospaceEarnings
Money & Markets
Economic IndicatorsMarketsPersonal FinanceEarnings
Lifestyle
Cars & BikesCollectingEntertainmentFood & Fine DiningHealth and FitnessReal EstateTravel
Quartz

Global business news for a smarter world

Topics

  • Business News
  • Money & Markets
  • Tech & Innovation
  • Generation A.I.
  • Lifestyle
  • Leadership

Products

  • Daily Brief
  • Weekly Digest
  • Member Benefits
  • Quartz Pro

Legal

  • Sitemap
  • About
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Service
  • Advertising

© 2026 Quartz Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Indicators

Eli Lilly, Moderna and more: The 5 highest paid healthcare CEOs

The highest paid healthcare executive made more than $300 million last year

1 / 7
Eli Lilly, Moderna and more: The 5 highest paid healthcare CEOs
ByBruce Gil
·Updated October 3, 2024
Add QZ to Google

Health care stocks underperformed the broader market in 2023, with many companies falling short of their profit targets, and some CEOs even missing out on bonuses. Yet, despite these setbacks, the chief executives of the industry’s top 300 companies still raked in a staggering $3.5 billion collectively last year, according to a new report by STAT News. Although average CEO pay dropped from $13 million in 2022 to $11 million in 2023, the highest earners still took home more than $100 million each.


Here’s how much money the the top five highest CEOs in healthcare made in 2023.

No. 5: Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks — $67.6 million

David Ricks, the CEO of Eli Lilly $LLY (LLY), which is known for its diabetes medications and weight loss drugs like Zepbound, earned $67.6 million in 2023.


No. 4: Royalty Pharma CEO Pablo Legorreta — $84.8 million

Pablo Legorreta, the CEO of Royalty Pharma (RPRX), the largest buyer of pharmaceutical royalties, was compensated $84.8 million in 2023.

No. 3: United Therapeutics CEO Martine Rothblatt — $85.4 million

Martine Rothblatt, the CEO of United Therapeutics (UTHR), a biotech public benefit corporation, was paid $85.4 million in 2023.


No. 2: Veeva Systems CEO Peter Gassner — $245.4 million

Peter Gassner, CEO of Veeva Systems (VEEV), a cloud computing company specializing in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, took home a whopping $245.4 million last year.


No. 1: Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel — $300.7 million

Despite having just one product on the market — and with declining demand, — Moderna $MRNA (MRNA) made its CEO, Stéphane Bancel, the highest-paid executive in the healthcare sector in 2023, with total compensation amounting to $300.7 million.