Gilead is increasing Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Day’s compensation by 20% to $28.4 million in 2025, making him one of the highest-paid CEOs in the industry.
It’s the biggest raise for O’Day, 61, in seven years at the California company, and roughly matches the $29.1 million package he received in his first full year at Gilead, which included a hefty inducement to hand over the golden parachute he left on a table after 30 years at Roche. Gilead paid Mr. O’Day $19 million in 2020, and the company has increased his compensation every year since.
His 2025 package (PDF) included $1.7 million “reflecting the total incremental costs incurred by the Company for security and driving services,” the company wrote in its proxy statement. In addition, Mr. O’Day’s personal use of company aircraft totaled $320,586 in 2025.
The cost of protecting O’Day is rising rapidly. The company said in its 2024 annual securities report that it spent $285,269 on security services, $240,998 on company aircraft use and $35,517 on company vehicles.
“After considering the recommendations of an independent third-party security review and in response to specific threats and incidents, our board of directors is requiring the use of company-provided personal security, aircraft, and drivers for most of our CEO’s business travel, including personal travel,” the company explained. “The additional costs incurred by the company for these items have been determined to be necessary to promote the personal safety and security of the CEO.”
In recent years, many healthcare companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and AbbVie, have increased security for their executives. The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024 heightened security concerns among industry executives.
Apart from increasing Mr. O’Day’s travel and security compensation, the company also increased stock compensation from $16.5 million in 2024 to $19.7 million last year. Gilead also increased 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, MD, received $13.9 million, including a $3 million signing bonus after leaving the same role at Sanofi. Chief Financial Officer Andrew Dickinson will receive $8.8 million in 2025, while Chief Commercial Officer Joanna Mercier will collect $9.3 million.
O’Day joins several other industry CEOs who received big raises 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).
