Gilead increased CEO Daniel O’Day's compensation by 20% in 2025 to $28.4 million, putting him among the highest-paid chief executives in the industry.
It was the largest raise for O’Day, 61, in his seven years with the California company, nearly matching the $29.1 million package he received in his first full year with Gilead, which included a hefty inducement to surrender the golden parachute he left on the table after three decades at Roche. In 2020, Gilead paid O’Day $19 million and the company has increased his compensation incrementally each year since.
His 2025 package (PDF) included $1.7 million “reflecting the aggregate incremental cost incurred by us for security and driving services,” the company wrote in its proxy. Additionally, O’Day’s personal use of corporate aircraft totaled $320,586 in 2025.
The price of protecting O’Day is increasing rapidly. In its 2024 annual securities filing, the company said it spent $285,269 for security services, $240,998 for his use of corporate aircraft and $35,517 for his use of company automobiles.
“After considering the recommendation of an independent, third-party security study and in response to specific threats and incidents, our Board of Directors requires the use of company-provided personal security, aircraft and a driver for most of our CEO’s travel, including personal travel,” the company explained. “The incremental costs incurred by the company for these items have been determined to be necessary to promote our CEO’s personal safety and security.”
In recent years, many healthcare companies—including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and AbbVie—have boosted the security for their top execs. The December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has intensified security concerns for industry executives.
Aside from the increases in O’Day’s travel and security compensation, the company bumped up his equity awards from $16.5 million in 2024 to $19.7 million last year. Gilead also boosted O’Day’s bonus from $4 million in 2024 to $4.8 million last year.
As for Gilead’s other executives, new Chief Medical Officer Dietmar Berger, M.D., Ph.D., received $13.9 million, which included a $3 million sign-on bonus after leaving the same role at Sanofi. Chief Financial Officer Andrew Dickinson received $8.8 million in 2025, while Chief Commercial Officer Johanna Mercier collected $9.3 million.
O’Day joined several other industry CEOs who received major pay increases in 2025, including Eli Lilly’s David Ricks ($36.7 million), J&J’s Joaquin Duato ($32.8 million) and AbbVie’s Rob Michael ($32.5 million).