Telecom chief takes home $2.9m

Theresa Gattung takes home $2.9m.

Telecom's Theresa Gattung is New Zealand's highest-paid chief executive, raking in a total pay package of $2.9 million.

For the year ending June 30, Gattung took home a base salary of $1.1 million, with an additional $1.44 million in performance-based bonuses. She also earned $365,000 through share options.

Gattung's total pay is up slightly from last year, when she received remuneration of $2.8 million.

Gattung led Telecom to strong results for fiscal 2005, with the company last month reporting a profit increase of 21.5 per cent to $915 million from a year earlier. On top of a regular dividend of 10c a share, the company announced a special dividend, also of 10c.

Other Telecom executives also saw their pay increase.

Chief operating officer Simon Moutter saw his total pay package climb to $1.6 million from $1.3 million. His base salary was $650,000, with $724,500 in cash-based incentives and $248,322 in restricted shares and share options.

Chief financial officer Marko Bogoievski's total package inched up slightly, to $1.89 million from $1.83 million. His base salary was $750,000 with cash incentives of $727,375.

The value of his restricted shares and share options was $413,867.