Seven West CEO Jeff Howard’s $1.25m pay package faces shareholder revolt
Jeff Howard's $1.25-million package will face a shareholder vote this week.
Seven West Media shareholders are reportedly being urged to vote against new CEO Jeffrey Howard’s $1.25 million pay packet at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday.
According to Capital Brief, proxy advisory firm CGI Glass Lewis has criticised the “high” remuneration awarded to Howard for the 2026 financial year. The firm argued the figure is difficult to justify in light of Seven’s “further deteriorated” performance in 2025.
CGI Glass Lewis also noted that Seven’s peers— for example Nine Entertainment —“operate at materially larger scale and market capitalisation,” suggesting Howard’s pay is out of proportion to Seven’s market cap and revenue.
CEO base pay seems to bear little relation to company size or performance
The advisory firm’s circular coincided with another potential shareholder revolt at Nine, as CGI Glass Lewis also recommended that investors vote down resolutions that would financially reward new CEO Matt Stanton at a rate higher than former CEO Mike Sneesby, “despite the company’s weaker earnings performance and challenging trading conditions.”
Stanton was appointed Nine’s CEO in March, after acting in the role since September 2024. He negotiated a $1.6 million fixed salary, plus a maximum of $2.4 million in Nine shares as short-term incentives, with a further $2 million a year in shares on offer as potential long-term incentives.
Howard, Seven West’s former CFO, succeeded James Warburton as CEO and managing director in April last year.
Howard’s pay package pales in comparison to his former boss, who regularly topped CEO pay rankings with total remuneration of $2.7 million in 2023, $3.4 million in 2022, and $4.57 million in the year to June 2021.
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According to an ASX notice, Seven has already reduced the CEO’s total package by about 52% overall since 2019.
In terms of the overall payment, Nine’s Stanton could be in line for total remuneration of up to $6 million — potentially eclipsing Warburton’s previous top earnings — if he achieves all his performance-based objectives.
Seven West Media and CGI Glass Lewis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
