David Zaslav, chief executive of Warner Bros Discovery, is in line for a payout of approximately $700mn when the company's $110bn sale to Paramount Skydance completes, according to a regulatory filing published on Monday.
The filing breaks the compensation into three components: $34.2mn in cash severance, $115.8mn in vested stock, and $517.2mn in unvested share awards that would accelerate upon deal closure. MarketWatch reports the total could reach $1bn depending on how quickly the transaction is finalised.
Zaslav has already monetised part of his position. He sold WBD shares earlier this month, realising $113mn ahead of the deal's completion.
The disclosures arrive as WBD describes the transaction as a victory for shareholders, a framing that will draw scrutiny given the scale of executive compensation relative to the broader deal terms. Zaslav has long ranked among Hollywood's highest-paid executives.
