In 2025, the corporate pay scales across Australia experienced major shake-ups that placed executives from the mining sector at the top of the list of the highest-paid. The increasing price of gold and the resources sector going to the sky were the key factors that have made the leaders of big corporations the wealthiest by far. Here are the top-paid CEO of Australia in 2025, unveiled, and what made their paycheques so impressive.
Bill Beament – Develop Global: $59 Million
In 2025, Bill Beament, the CEO of Develop Global, a mining exploration company, was crowned the highest-paid chief executive in Australia. The majority of his total income, which amounted to an enormous $59 million, was from the conversion of 14 million share options. This conversion of the options at a price of $9.1 million made his paper wealth go up by $58 million.
His big win, which makes him the single biggest beneficiary of Australia to date this year, is a true landmark for the local mining sector. The story of Beament is a perfect example of the overall pattern that prevailed in the mining industry, where they took calculated risks during the production phases. Now they are the ones who are going to get handsomely rewarded. The sharp rise in gold prices, which almost doubled over the 12 months, climbing close to 50%, is among the many reasons his company has thrived and has also positioned well in critical metals exploration.
Shemara Wikramanayake – Macquarie Group: $29.3 Million
With a total pay package amounting to $29.3 million, Shemara Wikramanayake, the CEO of Macquarie Group, was able to maintain her rank as one of the top five highly paid executives in Australia throughout the year. The first female CEO of an investment banking giant, she took the helm in 2018, and since then, she has been consistently rewarding the shareholders with profitable returns on their investments.
Macquarie Group, the Australian investment bank and asset manager, is turning more and more to the renewable energy sector and infrastructure worldwide under the direction of its CEO. The transition to clean energy is at the core of the company’s strategy; thus, it is well-positioned for future growth in the renewable energy sector. Macquarie’s asset management and advisory units, where most of the bank’s earnings have come from, are the two areas that have been resilient to the current economic uncertainties, and thus, Wikramanayake’s remuneration is consistent with these developments.
Michael Farrell – ResMed: $22.6 M
In 2025, Michael Farrell, the CEO of the medical device company ResMed, managed to have a $22.6 million cash-out. The global company that focuses on oxygen therapy and sleep apnea care has, in fact, been going through a bright growth phase during its tenure. The primary reason for ResMed’s success has been the digital health platform, which is picking up very fast, especially in those healthcare systems that are enabled for remote patient monitoring, all over the globe.
In the year 2000, Farrell was hired at ResMed and in 2013, he was promoted to CEO. During his long stint with the company, he has acquired a lot of industry knowledge. The firm’s shift into software solutions for healthcare has paved the way for new revenue streams to the detriment of the old hardware business model. Presently, ResMed’s devices are available in over 140 countries, and the company is still heavily investing in research and development.
William Oplinger – Alcoa: $20.8 Million
William Oplinger managed to generate a total of $20.8 million in one year, only when he was the leader of Alcoa’s operations in Australia. The metal powerhouse has been helped by the surging need for metal, which is the main source of electric vehicles and renewable energy technology. Alcoa’s operations in Western Australia remain among the top performers globally for the company.
He concentrated on the efficiency of the operation and cutting down the carbon footprint of aluminium production. The company has committed a lot of money to renewable energy to power its smelters, which is in line with the worldwide trend towards green manufacturing. His pay package is a reflection of both the company’s financial performance and the successful implementation of its long-term strategic initiatives.
Thomas Palmer – Newmont: $19.9 Million
In fact, Thomas Palmer, who is in charge of Newmont’s operations in Australia, managed to get as high as $19.9 million at the end of the year 2025. Being the top gold mining company in the world, Newmont has been a major beneficiary of the increase in gold prices. During the year, the precious metal hit record-breaking levels, mainly caused by economic uncertainty and investment demand.
Palmer is in charge of the core mining operations in Australia, which are the main contributors to Newmont’s global production. The company has been committed to fair mining practices and has strong relationships with the local communities. Newmont’s Australian assets are some of the most productive gold mines in the country, and continuous exploration has led to the discovery of new deposits with great potential.
Aaron Erter – James Hardie: $14.3 Million
The CEO of James Hardie, a manufacturer of building materials, Aaron Erter, was paid $14.3 million. The company is the leader in fibre cement products, which are used for residential and commercial construction. Despite the housing market situation, which has been quite difficult, James Hardie has still managed to keep up a strong performance by making gains in market share and operational efficiencies.
One of Erter’s major contributions has been the successful leadership of the company towards the innovation of green building materials. The products of James Hardie are becoming the most preferred ones by architects and builders who are looking for durable, low-maintenance solutions. The company’s operations in North America, which are the main revenue source, have been going well despite the housing market fluctuations.
Gregory Goodman – Goodman Group: $14.2 Million
Gregory Goodman took home $14.2 million as a reward for his leadership of the logistics and industrial property conglomerate that carries his family name. The Goodman Group has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the rise of e-commerce and digital logistics. The company is involved in the development and management of warehouses and distribution centres in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
The online shopping boom has led to the need for modern logistics facilities to an extent that was never before possible. The properties of Goodman Group are ideally located close to major population centres and transport hubs. Besides that, the company has also been active in creating state-of-the-art facilities that are capable of hosting automated warehousing systems, thereby positioning itself for further growth as supply chain technology evolves.
Paul McKenzie – CSL: $13.8 Million
As one of the executive leaders of CSL, a top-ranking biotechnology company in the world, Paul McKenzie raked in a total amount of $13.8 million. CSL is a company that produces plasma-derived therapies and vaccines, which are products that have shown a consistent increase in demand. With its far-reaching global plasma collection network, the company is in a good position to make a large quantity of the most modern and lifesaving treatments.
CSL is not short of cash as it keeps on pumping it into research and development with a major focus on rare diseases and immunology. Also, the company has gone through some acquisition moves that have not only broadened the product portfolio but also deepened the company’s presence geographically. McKenzie’s function is to coordinate the most important facets of CSL’s work when the company is going through a rapid phase of growth and new product development activities.
Michael Henry – BHP Group: $13.1 Million
With a $13.1 million pay packet, Michael Henry was able to do a lot of good work with BHP Group, which is known as the world’s largest mining company by market value. BHP’s range of business is very diversified and it includes iron ore, copper, coal, and petroleum assets. The company is doing well in terms of cash flow, even when commodity prices are volatile, which is the main reason why it has been able to return a lot of value to its shareholders through dividends.
Part of Henry’s work was the initiative of BHP that led to the redirect of its business strategy from traditional to future-facing commodities with a special emphasis on copper, which is the most energy transition-friendly metal. One of the plans that the company has is to phase out thermal coal and, simultaneously, increase investment in copper and nickel projects. The Australian BHP operations are what still keep the company going, and among them is the Pilbara iron ore mines that rank among the most productive in the world.
Peter Konieczny – Amcor: $13 Million
Peter Konieczny was able to make $13 million with Amcor, the worldwide packaging firm, and that was enough for him to round up the top executives of the company. Amcor manufactures a diversity of packaging products, ranging from food and beverage containers to pharmaceutical packaging. It is a company that has operations in more than 40 countries and has customers in a variety of industries.
Konieczny has been an advocate of sustainability as an initiative since the main trend in consumer demand is for environmentally friendly packaging. Amcor is a company that is determined to make all its products recyclable or reusable by 2025 and has also put money into invention packaging that can lower the amount of raw material. The magnitude and the skill of the company make it the most attractive partner for majors in the consumer goods industry all over the globe.
The 2025 CEO compensation scenario illustrates a strong link between sector performance and pay awarded to top executives. As a result of good market conditions and well-planned strategic moves, leaders in the mining and resources sectors have been the most exuberant beneficiaries. In addition to this, executives in the healthcare and industrial arenas have also received large bonuses as a reward for their leadership through challenging markets and growth initiation.
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