Mining Surpasses Finance in Executive Pay at Chinese Mainland Firms

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The mining sector emerged as the highest-paying industry for executives among companies listed in mainland China in 2025, surpassing the financial industry. According to a recent report, the average annual compensation for executives at A-share listed companies reached approximately CNY1.7 million (USD247,273), representing a 2% increase from the previous year. Executives in the mining industry earned over CNY2 million on average, the highest across all sectors, as detailed in the China Entrepreneur Value Report 2026 released by a Shanghai-based consultancy.

Li Ge, who leads the contract research firm WuXi AppTec, topped the list with an annual salary nearing CNY40 million (USD5.9 million), making him the highest-paid chairman among A-share corporations. In total, 18 executives earned more than CNY10 million during the year, including John Oyler, chairman and CEO of BeOne Medicines (formerly BeiGene); Pan Gang, chairman and president of Yili Industrial Group; and Stella Li, EVP at BYD.

Several top executives saw significant jumps in their pay, with Sun Chengsi of semiconductor memory maker Biwin Storage Technology, Lang Guanghui of the pre-baked anode manufacturer Suotong Development, and Zhu Yi of Biokin Pharmaceutical each experiencing salary increases of over CNY4 million from 2024.

In terms of market segments, the executive pay on Shanghai’s Star Market remained higher than on other exchanges in 2025. The order then followed with the main boards in Shanghai and Shenzhen, the ChiNext Board, and the Beijing Stock Exchange.

The report also found that over 70% of A-share-listed companies experienced growth in market value since the start of 2025 as the market recovered. Additionally, there were notable changes in equity incentive programs. Last year, these companies announced 570 equity incentive plans, marking an almost 7% decline compared to 2024. Meanwhile, employee stock ownership plan announcements increased by 18%, reaching 328, including 153 initial plans and 175 follow-up plans.