Executive pay is under the spotlight like never before. Heavily scrutinized by company shareholders, executive compensation is also an ever-present focal point in the media, as well as with employees, suppliers, and customers.

Non-executive directors responsible for setting executive pay and compensation need access to experienced advisers who can provide the information, analysis, and — above all — the judgment to help them make the right decisions for their business to remain competitive.

Comprehensive Executive Compensation Consulting

Cowen Partners offers comprehensive executive compensation consulting to support companies, leaders, directors, and others in designing competitive, best-in-class C-suite compensation plans structured for incentive planning, tax efficiency, sustainability, and other key objectives.

Partnering with publicly-traded companies, privately-held businesses, non-profits, and more, our executive pay consultants bring unparalleled expertise and resources to every engagement, with proven strategies and key insights to recruit and retain exceptional talent across any C-suite role. As part of our process, the experienced executive pay consultants at Cowen Partners generally do the following.

Compensation Planning for Executive Leadership

Cowen Partners is a retained executive search firm advising boards, CEOs, and investors on C-suite and senior leadership recruitment for private equity–backed, founder-led, and Fortune 500 companies. The firm is ranked among the Top 100 Executive Search Firms by Forbes, Business Insider, and Hunt Scanlon.

Search engagements are led by senior partners and supported by total market access to proven executive talent. Through a rigorous search process, Cowen Partners delivers qualified candidate slates in an average of three weeks from kickoff.

The firm has completed more than 500 executive placements nationwide and maintains a 99% candidate retention rate.

Competitive Salary Analysis | CEO, COO, CFO, CMO

Executive compensation is a significant investment, but one that is necessary for the success of a business. Each member of the C-suit—from the CEO, COO, and CFO to the CMO ,CSO, CGO, and more—brings a unique set of skills, experience, and expertise to the business.

Without these top leaders, your business would not be where it is today, which is why adequate compensation for each role is essential. Many top executives are recruited by competitors every year because a better compensation package is offered.

With this in mind, it’s wise to regularly review executive compensation plans to ensure your company is staying competitive.

When reviewing C-level executive compensation plans, consider all of the various benefits you can offer. Compensation for each C-suite role typically includes at least four different categories:

1. Base salary
2. Long-term and short-term incentives
3. Target bonuses
4. Benefits

Take a look at what else your company can offer executives to show them how much they’re valued. As you work to develop an adequate compensation plan for each C-suite role, start with the base salary. The salary range for C-level positions can vary widely depending on location, industry, skill set, years of experience, and more.

You need to offer a competitive salary for your area and industry if you want to attract top-level executives. Review the average annual salary of each C-suite position to get an idea of what your competition may be offering.

What Is an Executive Compensation Analysis?

National Retained Executive Search Firm | How We Help

Our hands-on executive recruiters have experience working with private, public, pre-IPO, and non-profit organizations. Clients are typically $50 million in revenue to Fortune 1000’s or have assets between $500 million to $15 billion. Successful placements span the entire C-Suite – CEO, Chief Operating Officer, CHRO, Chief Financial Officer, CMO, and include vice president human resources, general counsel, and other director-level leadership roles.

Cowen Partners delivers 3X more qualified candidates than the competition. Through our proven retained executive search process, we find, vet, and deliver the top 1% of candidates for positions across the C-suite. Our process works for all industries, including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, real estate, financial service, private equity, and more.

Learn how we deliver top talent, no matter the need, with our industry-leading research and resources. Discover the strategy that made Cowen Partners the top retained executive search firm in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and beyond in the executive compensation resources below.