Viacom CEO Bakish Nabs $20M in 2017 Compensation

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish took home $20.3 million in total compensation in 2017, his first full year as head of the once struggling programmer.

Bakish was named interim CEO at Viacom in October 2016 and was named permanent CEO in December of that year. 

According to Viacom’s proxy statement issued Friday, Bakish’s total haul included $2.7 million in salary, $5.8 million in stock awards and $7 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation. A long-time executive at the company, he took the role after months of turmoil at the company that saw the ouster of former CEO Philippe Dauman and  the resignation of Dauman’s long-time lieutenant, Tom Dooley.

Dooley, who served as interim CEO at Viacom for three months after Dauman was shown the door, reaped a huge payday in 2017 -- $53.6 million – largely through his separation agreement with the company.  According to the proxy, Dooley received $426,385 in salary in 2017 and $53.2 million in other compensation, which consisted of his separation package, including a $48 million cash payment that was three times his target bonus award.

Dooley’s compensation was nearly twice the $27.9 million he made in 2016.