Shankh Mitra, CEO of US-based healthcare real estate company Welltower, has become the world’s second-highest-paid executive after receiving a $821 million (around ₹7,744 crore) compensation package in 2025. He ranks behind only Tesla CEO Elon Musk, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Originally from Kolkata, Mitra graduated in Instrumentation and Electronics Engineering from Jadavpur University before moving to the US to pursue an MBA in Applied Value Investing at Columbia Business School. He later worked at Fidelity Investments, Citadel and Millennium Management before joining Welltower in 2016.
After serving as Chief Investment Officer, Mitra became CEO in 2020. Under his leadership, Welltower has strengthened its position as one of the leading healthcare-focused real estate investment trusts in the United States.
About 99% of Mitra’s compensation is linked to long-term stock awards rather than cash salary. Much of the payout depends on meeting ambitious performance targets, including significant growth in Welltower’s market value over the coming years.
Mitra’s rise reflects the growing presence of Indian-origin executives at the highest levels of global business and underscores how performance-linked compensation is reshaping executive pay worldwide.
