*Courtesy of Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic via Getty Images.*

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav received total compensation of $51.9 million in 2024, an increase from the $49.7 million he earned in 2023. The company disclosed the updated figures in its latest annual proxy statement.

Zaslav continues to be the highest-paid executive at Warner Bros. Discovery by a wide margin. He has long ranked among the top-earning CEOs in corporate America, particularly during his tenure leading Discovery before the merger.

J-B Perrette, who oversees streaming and gaming operations, saw a modest dip in his compensation, earning $19.7 million in 2024 compared to $20.1 million the previous year. Other senior executives at the company reported total pay ranging from $14.8 million to $17.8 million.

The proxy report was released alongside the announcement that John Malone, a major force behind the 2022 WarnerMedia-Discovery merger, will be stepping down from the company’s board of directors. He will transition to a chair emeritus position.

Warner Bros. Discovery has recently faced pressure from activist investor Sessa Capital, which has taken a roughly 1% stake in the company. In response, the company has made several changes to its board in recent months. According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, Sessa has been pushing for board expansion and urging the company to make more visible progress in managing its traditional TV assets. WBD owns several legacy cable networks (CNN, TNT, Discovery) that have been impacted by declining viewership and advertising revenue due to cord-cutting.

In early 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery reorganized into separate business units, a move the company said could open the door to strategic opportunities, including mergers and acquisitions. In a similar move, Comcast is spinning off most of its NBCUniversal cable channels into an independent entity.

The proxy statement also confirmed that WBD’s annual shareholder meeting is scheduled for June 2. Among the items up for vote is a “say on pay” proposal, giving shareholders an advisory voice on executive compensation.

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