WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey Pay Rose 64% in 2018, to $16.6 Million

John Stankey, CEO of AT&T’s WarnerMedia who has dramatically reshaped the businesses of Time Warner, saw his total compensation package increase 64% last year, to a total of $16.6 million.

Meanwhile, AT&T chairman, president and CEO Randall Stephenson pulled in a pay package worth $29.1 million in 2018, up 1.4%. AT&T disclosed the compensation details in an SEC filing Monday.

Among other senior AT&T execs, CFO John Stephens saw his compensation rise to $15.6 million (up 13%) while AT&T Communications CEO John Donovan’s pay package declined 4%, to $14.6 million.

A 33-year veteran of the telco, Stankey oversees AT&T’s media business which includes HBO, Turner, Warner Bros., and Otter Media. He led the integration planning team for the AT&T takeover of Time Warner, which closed last June.

In the filing Monday, the AT&T board’s compensation committee said it hiked Stankey’s compensation “to reflect his new responsibility for all of AT&T’s content-related assets, including each of Time Warner’s businesses. In addition, the Committee determined that Mr. Stankey’s unique skills and experience are critical to executing the Company’s post-close strategic plan.”

Stankey received a base salary increase from $995,000 in 2017 to $1.1 million effective March 1, 2018 — and that was boosted to $2.9 million effective June 16, 2018, “to reflect the increased scope and complexity of his new role as CEO of WarnerMedia,” according to AT&T.

In the past two weeks, Stankey has enacted a significant reorganization of WarnerMedia, which saw the exit of HBO CEO Richard Plepler and Turner president David Levy with the appointment of Bob Greenblatt as chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and direct-to-consumer units. Among the changes, CNN chief Jeff Zucker, Warner Bros. chairman-CEO Kevin Tsujihara, and Turner International leader Gerhard Zeiler also picked up more oversight responsibilities.

Stankey has served in multiple senior roles at AT&T, including CEO of AT&T Mobility and Entertainment, after leading the company’s acquisition of DirecTV in 2015 when he was chief strategy officer.

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