Nikesh Arora, an Indian-born executive, has earned the second spot on The Wall Street Journal’s 2023 list of highest-paid CEOs in the US, with a compensation package of $151.43 million. At 56, Arora’s earnings have outstripped those of other tech industry leaders, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Sundar Pichai of Google.
Early Life and Education
Nikesh Arora was born on February 9, 1968, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. His father served in the Indian Air Force, providing a disciplined environment during his upbringing. Arora attended The Air Force School (Subroto Park) and went on to graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi in 1989. After a brief tenure at Wipro, he pursued an MBA at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Career Beginnings
Arora’s professional journey began in 1992 at Fidelity Investments. There, he undertook roles in finance and technology management, eventually rising to Vice President of Fidelity Technologies. In 2000, he founded T-Motion, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, which integrated into T-Mobile’s core services. He also served as the Chief Marketing Officer for the T-Mobile International Division of Deutsche Telekom AG.
Rise at Google
In 2004, Arora joined Google and climbed the ranks to hold several key positions. He served as Vice President of Europe operations, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and ultimately, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. His decade-long tenure at Google solidified his reputation as a capable leader in the tech industry.
Leadership at SoftBank
Arora’s next significant move was to Japan’s SoftBank Corp in 2014. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the group and CEO of SoftBank Internet and Media Inc. He was anticipated to succeed SoftBank’s CEO, Masayoshi Son, and earned $208 million in compensation over two years. However, in a surprising turn of events, Arora resigned from his roles at SoftBank in June 2016.
Leading Palo Alto Networks
In 2018, Arora took on the role of CEO and Chairman at Palo Alto Networks. His leadership has been instrumental in steering the company forward, culminating in his recognition as one of the highest-paid CEOs in the US.
Honors and Recognition
In 2015, Nikesh Arora was honored with the Global Indian Award at the ET Corporate Excellence Awards, acknowledging his significant contributions and achievements in the global business landscape.
Nikesh Arora’s journey from Ghaziabad to becoming one of the highest-paid CEOs in the US exemplifies his exceptional leadership and strategic vision in the technology sector.
