AIG Sketches New Executive Pay Plan

June 25, 2010 at 08:00 PM
Share & Print

American International Group Inc. has outlined a plan aimed at attracting and retaining executives as it works to repay the government, which owns about 80% of the company.

AIG will pay top executives with what the company calls "long-term performance units"–a mix of AIG hybrid securities, or debt, and common stock, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"AIG is committed to compensation practices that allow the company to attract and retain capable and experienced professionals and motivate them to achieve strong business results in both the short- and long-term," Mark Herr, an AIG spokesman, said in an e-mail. "The LTPU grants allow us to achieve these goals."

The combination of basing part of executive compensation on about 80% debt and 20% common stock is "designed to serve as a proxy for AIG's long-term value," the company said.

AIG stock was selling at $35.59 a share at midday on June 25. Shares have been as high as $55.90 and as low as $8.22 over the last year.

The plan was previously approved by Treasury pay czar Kenneth Feinberg, who is leaving the post after taking a new role as overseer of a compensation fund for the BP oil spill, AIG said.

Feinberg had ordered salaries of the top 25 executives at AIG be slashed by an average of one-third.

AIG chief financial officer David L. Herzog, Chartis president and chief executive officer Kristian P. Moor, life insurance chief operating officer Rodney O. Martin Jr., and executive vice president Nicholas Walsh are among the senior executives in line to receive the LTPUs, according to the filing.

CEO Robert H. Benmosche will continue to get stock salary based on his original agreement with the company.

The federal government has made $182.3 billion available to AIG via the Troubled Asset Relief Program to bail out the company after declining credit default swaps nearly sank it in 2008. AIG said it owed the government $101.6 billion as of March 31.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner recently told the Congressional Oversight Panel that AIG is making progress in its restructuring efforts but the federal investment in the company will likely result in "some loss."

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Related Stories

Resource Center