DirecTV CEO Mike White's 2012 Compensation Triples to $18 Million

DirecTV chairman, president and CEO Mike White's 2012 compensation roughly tripled to $18.04 million, according to a regulatory filing Friday.

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In 2011, he had earned $5.94 million, down from $32.93 million in 2010, when he received $14.7 million in long-term stock awards upon joining the company.

The DirecTV filing showed that White's base salary of $1.56 million was up from $1.52 million. He also earned a bonus of $4 million in 2012, compared with $3.9 million in 2011.

Boosting White's compensation were $12 million in option awards, which he hadn't received a year earlier.

According to Friday's filing, shareholders at DirecTV's annual meeting in May will vote on a proposal to split the CEO and chairman roles. A union proposal calls for an independent director to become chairman to ensure added oversight of management.

DirecTV told shareholders in its filing that it likes its current setup, arguing it "promotes decisive leadership, ensures clear accountability and enhances the company’s ability to communicate with a single and consistent voice."

E-mail: Georg.Szalai@thr.com
Twitter: @georgszalai