A. William Stein has been a key player at Digital Realty Trust since 2004, starting as CFO and stepping up to CEO in 2014. He led the company through significant growth in the tech real estate sector, a crucial area as digital infrastructure becomes ever more important. During his tenure, he had a compensation package that peaked at over $17 million in 2021, driven by a strong performance bonus of $3.5 million. However, his position at the company came to an unexpected end in December 2022 when he was let go without cause, receiving a severance of over $10 million. His leadership style was all about hitting big targets and aligning incentives with shareholders by pushing for improvements in revenue and operational efficiency. Stein's approach has shaped how Digital Realty operates in the competitive landscape of data centers and tech real estate, making it a formidable player in the market larger than ever before. While the conclusion of his leadership came abruptly, his impact on Digital Realty remains significant.

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A. William Stein

Ex-CEO of Digital Realty

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Real Estate

Born

January 1, 1964 - 61 years ago

CEO of Digital Realty for

5 years 7 months (May 2017 - Dec 2022)

Previous Experience

Served in various roles including CEO of Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of A. William Stein

Monica Howard Douglas

CEO of VICI Properties Inc.

2023 Compensation

Stock

$2.33M

Salary

$1.00M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$27.68K

Total Holdings

$4.12M

John P. Case

CEO of Realty Income

2023 Compensation

Stock

$7.40M

Salary

$1.00M

Bonus

$4.06M

Other

$674.91K

Total Holdings

$9.09M

Charles Meyers

CEO of Equinix, Inc.

2022 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.05M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$86.68K

Total Holdings

$13.76M

Sumit Roy

CEO of Realty Income

2023 Compensation

Stock

$5.96M

Salary

$1.00M

Bonus

$4.06M

Other

$674.91K

Total Holdings

$23.97M

Steven H. Collis

CEO of Cencora

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.40M

Bonus

$3.23M

Other

$379.52K

Total Holdings

$127.69M

Hamid R. Moghadam

CEO of Prologis

2023 Compensation

Stock

$41.06M

Salary

$1.00

Bonus

$1.91M

Other

$12.00K

Total Holdings

$125.21M

Holdings

See how much did A. William Stein make over time.

A. William Stein's financial journey as CEO of Digital Realty Trust reflects massive fluctuations in his holdings based on his tenure and company performance. At one point, his wealth had significant ties to Digital Realty's stock, particularly during the peak of his compensation in 2021, when his total pay exceeded $17 million. Stein's stakes in the company were influenced by the market's response to Digital Realty's growth strategies, showing a close correlation between his performance and the company's value. After the unexpected termination in late 2022, his holdings took a hit along with the changes in his role and the overall market environment. Despite the fluctuations, Stein's financial interests aligned with the company's performance metrics, including core FFO targets and revenue goals. The termination led to a large severance package, but it also marked a significant shift away from a deeply invested position in Digital Realty, effectively changing his wealth's trajectory.

Mar 11, 2025

DLR @ $147.42

HST @ $15.49

Total Stock Sold

$115.29M

DLR

$115.29M

787,134 DLR shares

What if they kept their stock?

If A. William Stein didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra DLR787,134 shares worth $107.81M.
This is -6.49% and $7.48M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of A. William Stein.

DLR

$566.10K

DLR at $113.22/share

Sep 15, 2022

Purchase

DLR

$629.75K

DLR at $125.95/share

May 18, 2022

Purchase

DLR

$3.75M

DLR at $168.05/share

Sep 8, 2021

Sale

DLR

$6.80M

DLR at $168.02/share

Sep 2, 2021

Sale

DLR

$9.02M

DLR at $164.13/share

Aug 31, 2021

Sale

DLR

$9.80M

DLR at $164.03/share

Aug 20, 2021

Sale

DLR

$1.69M

DLR at $164.00/share

Jun 10, 2021

Sale

DLR

$19.95M

DLR at $159.58/share

Jun 7, 2021

Sale

DLR

$15.57M

DLR at $155.75/share

Jun 3, 2021

Sale

DLR

$15.15M

DLR at $151.52/share

May 25, 2021

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did A. William Stein make over time.

A. William Stein's compensation as CEO of Digital Realty Trust highlights a complex structure designed to attract and retain top talent while tying rewards to performance. He earned a base salary of $1 million, which was standard for his position. However, his real financial gains came from performance bonuses, which in 2021 reached an impressive $3.5 million, reflecting a payout of 358% of his base salary. In contrast, his compensation for 2022 dropped significantly due to his termination without cause, leading to no bonuses but a severance package exceeding $10 million. This structure was intentional, aiming to align his incentives with company growth and shareholder value. His employment agreements included significant provisions for severance in case of termination, showcasing the high stakes involved in leading a major firm in the tech real estate space. The ups and downs of his compensation tell a story of risk, reward, and the volatile nature of corporate leadership in fast-paced industries.

Year

2022

Total Compensation

$12.70M

Salary

$1.00M

Board Justification

The compensation program is designed to attract, retain and motivate experienced executives to maximize stockholder value, aligning a significant portion of compensation with performance on both short-term and long-term bases.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

Mr. Stein did not receive a bonus for 2022 due to termination without cause in December 2022.

Other

$11.70M

Board Justification

Includes a lump-sum cash severance payment of $10,691,958 and Company-subsidized healthcare premiums of $41,695 for up to eighteen months of coverage.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 long-term incentive units)

Board Justification

Mr. Stein's long-term incentive awards that were subject to vesting based on continued employment were vested with respect to the number of units that would have vested during the 12-month period immediately following his termination.

Performance Metrics

Core FFO targets and revenue goals, including total bookings and interconnection signings.

Other Digital Realty CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Digital Realty

Andrew P. Power

CEO of Digital Realty

December 2022 - Present