Tech execs win juicy Esop share at IPO-bound firms

Tech leaders rise Headhunters have noted the rise in demand for chief technology officers, but warned that the power of tech heads may weaken.

- Devina Sengupta & Sneha Shah

PO-bound companies have been generously rewarding their technology heads with more stock options than other function heads, a Deloitte study shared exclusively with Mint shows, underscoring their importance at a time when businesses are accelerating their digital transformation.

Chief technology officers (CTOs) have received the highest amounts of stock grants after managing directors and chief executive officers (CEOs), and have even beaten chief operating officers (COOs) or the chief financial officers (CFOs).

These rewards are offered to retain key talent in the run-up to a public listing and thereafter, and employee stock ownership plan (Esop) pools in these companies expanded fourteen-fold in the past three years, data shows.

"The importance of CTOs has been rising with more and more digital-first businesses listing and traditional businesses enhancing their digital transformation journeys. Technology doesn't just serve as an enabler but is a core driver of profitable scale, security, customer experience, and ultimately, value," said Dinkar Pawan, director, Deloitte India.