Andrew W. Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, has led the company since its inception in 2007. Holding a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, he has a technical background that fuels innovation. Under his leadership, Dropbox...

Andrew W. Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, has led the company since its inception in 2007. Holding a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, he has a technical background that fuels innovation. Under his leadership, Dropbox transformed from a simple file storage solution to a powerful platform facilitating collaboration for teams around the globe. They now boast over 16 million paying users. Houston has opted for a unique compensation strategy, receiving no annual equity grants since the Co-Founder Grant in 2017, which was based on performance. His total compensation has varied from just over $1 million to nearly $157 million, depending primarily on performance metrics like revenue growth and operating margins. Notably, in late 2021, he vested into over 2 million shares after meeting stock price targets. His approach to leadership focuses on making work easier and less fragmented for users across different platforms. As Dropbox evolves, Houston continues to steer the company towards a future where remote work is seamless and productive.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

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Andrew W. Houston

Founder and CEO of Dropbox

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Field of Expertise

Technology & Engineering - Engineering

Sector of Economy

Technology

Born

March 4, 1983 - 42 years ago

CEO of Dropbox for

18 years 0 months (Jun 2007 - Present)

Previous Experience

Co-Founder of Dropbox

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Andrew W. Houston

Holdings

See how much did Andrew W. Houston make over time.

Andrew Houston's holdings include 8.26 million RSAs from his Co-Founder Grant that are tied to specific stock price goals. This grant started in 2017 and is significant, considering the amount of time and focus required to achieve these targets. In...

Andrew Houston's holdings include 8.26 million RSAs from his Co-Founder Grant that are tied to specific stock price goals. This grant started in 2017 and is significant, considering the amount of time and focus required to achieve these targets. In November 2021, he successfully vested approximately 2 million shares by achieving a $30 stock price target. The total market value of his unvested shares as of December 2022 was about $185 million, showcasing a strong personal investment in Dropbox's success. His wealth has seen fluctuations, with his holdings reaching a peak valuation of around $2.65 billion in mid-2021, but currently reflecting ongoing stock performance.

Total Stock Sold

$255.37M

DBX

$255.37M

9,771,056 DBX shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Andrew W. Houston didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra DBX9,771,056 shares worth $224.73M.
This is -12% and $30.64M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

DBX

899,444 shares

DBX

Recent Charitable Transactions

DBX

444,444 shares

DBX

Mar 13, 2024

Charity

DBX

175,000 shares

DBX

Mar 9, 2022

Charity

DBX

190,000 shares

DBX

Mar 9, 2021

Charity

DBX

45,000 shares

DBX

Mar 13, 2019

Charity

DBX

45,000 shares

DBX

Mar 13, 2019

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Andrew W. Houston.

DBX

$2.49M

DBX at $30.97/share

Jan 21, 2025

Sale

DBX

$899.56K

DBX at $30.07/share

Jan 6, 2025

Sale

DBX

$15.05M

DBX at $29.83/share

Jan 2, 2025

Sale

DBX

$4.13M

DBX at $30.05/share

Dec 11, 2024

Sale

DBX

$3.71M

DBX at $28.12/share

Dec 2, 2024

Sale

DBX

$4.20M

DBX at $27.64/share

Nov 21, 2024

Sale

DBX

$17.64M

DBX at $27.65/share

Nov 14, 2024

Sale

DBX

$11.30M

DBX at $25.19/share

Oct 1, 2024

Sale

DBX

$4.02M

DBX at $25.13/share

Sep 26, 2024

Sale

DBX

$3.66M

DBX at $25.02/share

Sep 24, 2024

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did Andrew W. Houston make over time.

In 2023, Drew Houston’s total compensation was $1,539,577, including a base salary of $625,000 and a cash bonus of $485,000 based on performance metrics like revenue and operating margin. His bonus was 77.6% of the target, reflecting Dropbox's solid performance. Prior years also saw compensation ranging greatly due to the lack of vested stock awards; he hasn’t received new stock grants since 2017, aligning his interests tightly with the company's growth. Through strategic decisions, Houston has prioritized long-term growth, which benefits both him and the shareholders over time. His compensation is intentionally structured to avoid guaranteed bonuses and to remain closely tied to company performance, which is crucial in a competitive tech landscape.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$1.53M

Salary

$625.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy emphasizes performance-based pay, aligning executive compensation with company performance and shareholder interests, while maintaining competitive compensation packages to attract and retain talent.

Bonus

$485.00K

Board Justification

The annual cash bonus payment for 2023 was based on performance metrics including revenue and operating margin, with a target bonus opportunity of $625,000, resulting in a payout of $485,000, which is 77.6% of the target.

Other

$423.58K

Board Justification

This includes the cost of security services provided to Mr. Houston in 2023.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 RSU)

Board Justification

No stock awards vested in 2023 as Mr. Houston did not receive any new equity grants due to his significant holdings from previous grants.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for determining Mr. Houston's compensation included annual revenue and non-GAAP operating margin.