{"id":279403,"date":"2024-07-19T12:56:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T19:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jthelander.com\/?p=279403"},"modified":"2024-07-19T12:56:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T19:56:00","slug":"uk-vs-us-private-company-compensation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/?p=279403","title":{"rendered":"UK vs US Private Company Compensation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome back to the Thelander Digest for July. Last year, we explored\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/jthelander.com\/thelanderpcdigest-1152769\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">global compensation data for private companies<\/a>, and this year, we&#8217;ve significantly deepened\u00a0our scope. In collaboration with the BioIndustry Association (BIA) in London, we have launched the Private Company UK Compensation Initiative, enhancing our offerings with real-time compensation data specifically tailored for the UK market. So, what does compensation look like for life science executives in the UK vs the US at private companies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The movement of talent is notable, with many UK-based private companies employing US-based CEOs, CFOs, and other executives. Additionally, life science companies in hubs like Boston and San Francisco are&nbsp;expanding into the UK and require private market specific data to benchmark their compensation accurately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image img-border\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/4b5f3696-2bac-a241-6047-57ebcb3a7f77.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chart 1<\/strong>&nbsp;shows the total cash for CEOs in life sciences. We see the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When looking at the median and 75th percentile for total cash,&nbsp;Boston is the highest paid region coming at $399,000 at the median and $615,000 at the 75th percentile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The median total cash compensation for the UK is $381,000, which is in line with Southern CA and higher compared to Northern CA.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The maximum for Northern CA is significantly higher, which can be accessed on the Thelander platform by participating in the no-cost&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/%20https\/\/survey.jthelander.com\/surveys\/1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">private company compensation survey<\/a>. It\u2019s also worth noting that layering on the total amount of financing impacts the mix of cash and equity &#8211; which can be customized on the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image img-border\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/8d7d1c5a-2de5-43d0-4c68-6b0555a27cf0.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chart 2<\/strong>&nbsp;shows the total founder equity for CEOs in life sciences. We see the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The founder equity is lower in the UK compared to companies headquartered in Boston, Southern&nbsp;CA, and Northern CA. Again, the total amount of financing impacts the mix of cash and equity and is important to take into consideration when benchmarking your founders equity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Northern CA had lower cash compared to other US regions &#8211; it has higher founder equity than any other region &#8211; which might offer some explanation for the lower cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image img-border\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/39d46eda-1075-df93-dd2d-828b15b0c0bd.png\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chart 3<\/strong>&nbsp;shows the non-founder equity for CEOs in life sciences. We see the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Non-founder equity for CEOs ranges from 4.43% to 5.88%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/jthelander.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/bullet-swirl.png\" alt=\"bullet\" class=\"wp-image-278614\" style=\"width:28px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Region doesn\u2019t make as much of an impact on the percentages, while the total amount of financing does. However, we do see Northern CA at the higher end, again suggested a heightened taste for equity as a part of the compensation mix.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What&#8217;s the bottom line?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our analysis featured in this Digest&nbsp;reveals significant insights into the compensation dynamics within the UK and US markets. Notably, Boston\/Cambridge&nbsp;emerges as the highest-paying region for median and upper-tier total cash compensation levels, affirming its stature in the global life sciences sector. However, when it comes to equity, Northern California outpaces other regions, highlighting the appetite for high stakes and rewards in Silicon Valley. In contrast, founder equity in the UK lags behind US regions, reflecting perhaps more conservative or less-sophisticated equity distribution practices. Yet, equity percentages for non-founder CEOs do not vary significantly by region, indicating a more uniform approach across geographies, more-so&nbsp;influenced by the total amount of financing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Participate in the Thelander Private Company Comp Survey today for access to real-time data!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dive deeper into these findings and access customized data by participating in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/survey.jthelander.com\/surveys\/1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Thelander Private Company Compensation Survey<\/a>. As a participant, you\u2019ll gain free access to a subset of detailed results that can guide your compensation strategy and ensure you remain competitive in this dynamic market. If you&#8217;re a BIA Member with specific questions about this partnership or how it can benefit your organization, please reach out directly through this email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center btn-post wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/survey.jthelander.com\/surveys\/1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Participate in the Private Company Compensation Survey Here for Real-Time Compensation Data<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome back to the Thelander Digest for July. Last year, we explored\u00a0global compensation data for private companies, and this year, we&#8217;ve significantly deepened\u00a0our scope. In collaboration with the BioIndustry Association (BIA) in London, we have launched the Private Company UK Compensation Initiative, enhancing our offerings with real-time compensation data specifically tailored for the UK market. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[3,4],"class_list":["post-279403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newsletter","tag-newsletter","tag-private-company"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=279403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279403\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=279403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=279403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brightturn.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=279403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}