Business
In 2025, no Boston tech CEO came close to Wayfair’s leader in total compensation, according to the Boston Business Journal report.
Wayfair CEO and co-founder Niraj Shah conducts a fireside chat at the Boston College Chief Executives Club luncheon. Pat Greenhouse/ The Boston Globe
The CEO and cofounder of Wayfair, Niraj Shah, saw his total compensation soar last year, catapulting him to the top of the region’s list of top-paid tech CEOs, according to the latest analysis by the Boston Business Journal.
The list of top-paid tech CEOs includes leaders from companies such as Analog Devices in Wilmington, which designs and manufactures semiconductor chips; DraftKings in Boston, the sports-entertainment and betting platform; HubSpot in Cambridge, a marketing-software company; and SharkNinja in Needham, a consumer home-products maker.
However, Wayfair’s CEO stands out.
The BBJ reports that, for years, Shah remained at the bottom of the list even though he has led the online furniture retailer since 2002 and has consistently earned under $1 million.
But, according to a proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, Shah’s pay included about $280.6 million in stock awards, approximately $210,000 in other compensation, and his usual salary of $80,000.
The payout is a 990 percent increase compared to $283,145, Shah’s total payment in 2024.
The new compensation comes after the Wayfair board approved a new pay package made of performance stock units for its chief executive, tied to certain milestones and requirements, last September.
The CEOs continued to be paid out even as Boston-area tech companies remain in flux as many move to use AI to improve efficiency, slowing down the job market.
Second on the list, but well behind Shah, is Vincent Roche, president and CEO of Analog Devices. According to the BBJ, his total compensation in 2025 was $27,456,265.
Nei Barua, CEO of PTC Inc., a software company in Boston, came in third, making $24,315,129 last year.
To compile the ranking, the BBJ looked at stock awards, stock options, bonuses, and other forms of compensation in addition to salary from proxy statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Here are the top 10:
- Nirah Shah, CEO, co-chairman, and co-founder of Wayfair.
- Vincent Roche, president and CEO of Analog Devices Inc
- Neil Barua, CEO of PTC Inc
- Jason Robins, CEO and co-founder of DraftKings
- Yamini Rangan, CEO of HubSpot Inc
- Mark Barrocas, CEO of SharkNinja
- William Meaney, president and CEO of Iron Mountain Inc
- Tom Leighton, CEO of Akamai Technologies
- Jennifer Honeycutt, president and CEO of Veralto Corp
- Greg Smith, president and CEO of Teradyne Inc
For the full list and compensation, visit the report here.
Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
