So just what kind of money do personal care CEOs earn?
subject. Forbes.com has studied the pay for the CEOs of the 500
biggest companies in the US, finding that seven of the highest paid
individuals in the country work in the personal care sector.
Big names has always meant big pay and that proves to be no exception for the bosses. In the US the highest-paid CEO is Richard Fairbank, who heads up Capital One, a diversified financials organisation.
To find the best-paid boss in the personal care sector you have to go all the way down to the number 79 position, which is held by Alan Lafley, P&G CEO. The fact that he helped secure the Gillette merger, making P&G and the world's largest consumer goods company, helped him to earn a tidy $16.87m last year.
This means that Lafley has earned a total of $41.31m in the space of the past five years, a pay check that indicates the growing prosperity of the group.
But putting Lafley's earning into context against the huge profits that P&G has been earning in recent years, he seems good value. According to the Forbes information he has managed to bring in a total return of 15 per cent during his time in office.
The next biggest earners on the list are Ralph Lauren, who gained $14.36m in 2005, followed by Colgate-Palmolive's Reuben Mark who secured a salary of $12.07m.
Lauren was the second biggest earner in the personal care sector and came in 94 over all, while Mark was the third biggest personal care earner and came in with an overall ranking of 121.
Colgate-Palmolive has been struggling recently and last year announced a major restructuring initiative that has led to thousands of jobs being shed throughout its worldwide operations.
In line with company's fortunes, Mark has also seen his pay packet shrink in the course of the past five year. During that period has earned $188.39m, which makes for a six year annual compensation of $33m.
Other personal care names that featured on the list include Liz Claiborne CEO Paul Charron, who earned $5.45m and was ranked 255th; Estee Lauder CEO William Lauder, who pocketed $3.40m and ranked 338; Kimberly-Clark CEO Thomas Falk who earned $2.49m and ranked 382; and Avon CEO Andrea Jung who was ranked 445 with earnings of $1.49m.
But overall its seems that it was not a particularly good year for US CEOs. According to Forbes the country's top 500 CEOs received an aggregate 6 per cent pay raise last year, significantly less than their 54 per cent pay raise in 2004.
