Charles Liang is the CEO and co-founder of Super Micro Computer, Inc., a company known for its high-performance server technology. He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor's degree from National Chiao Tung University...

Charles Liang is the CEO and co-founder of Super Micro Computer, Inc., a company known for its high-performance server technology. He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor's degree from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. Charles was granted a significant performance-based stock option award in 2021 that allows him to earn options for 1,000,000 shares based on both revenue and stock price goals. His total compensation is notably tied to how well the company performs, with his salary set at just $1 until mid-2026, showing a strong commitment to the company’s future. In 2023, he received another performance award related to achieving even bigger revenue and stock price targets.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Super Micro Computer, Inc. CEOs

S

Charles Liang

Founder and CEO of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Education

M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley; B.S. in Electrical Engineering from National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.

Field of Expertise

Technology & Engineering - Engineering

Sector of Economy

Technology

Born

January 1, 1964 - 61 years ago

CEO of Super Micro Computer, Inc. for

17 years 8 months (Aug 2007 - Present)

Previous Experience

Founder of Super Micro Computer, Inc.; has held various roles in the company since its inception.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Charles Liang

M

Mark Zuckerberg

Founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, Inc.

2022 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.00

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$27.11M

Total Holdings

$207.33B

A

Sundar Pichai

CEO of Alphabet Inc.

2023 Compensation

Stock

$155.42M

Salary

$2.00M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$6.80M

Total Holdings

$459.19M

A

Jayshree Ullal

CEO of Arista Networks

2023 Compensation

Stock

$15.05M

Salary

$300.00K

Bonus

$200.00K

Other

$10.40K

Total Holdings

$3.15B

N

Jen-Hsun Huang

Founder and CEO of Nvidia

2023 Compensation

Stock

$61.63M

Salary

$1.00M

Bonus

$4.00M

Other

$2.49M

Total Holdings

$99.30B

H

Antonio Neri

CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise

2022 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.30M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$135.39K

Total Holdings

$28.02M

V

Giordano Albertazzi

CEO of Vertiv Holdings Co

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$900.00K

Bonus

$2.00M

Other

$17.79K

Total Holdings

$10.03M

Holdings

See how much did Charles Liang make over time.

Charles Liang has seen significant fluctuations in his stock holdings over the years, reflecting the performance of Super Micro Computer. As of late 2023, the value of his insider trading holdings reached about $2.85 billion. The highest point was around...

Charles Liang has seen significant fluctuations in his stock holdings over the years, reflecting the performance of Super Micro Computer. As of late 2023, the value of his insider trading holdings reached about $2.85 billion. The highest point was around May 2023 with a staggering $1.05 billion. This shows his close alignment with the company's performance, as most of his wealth is tied to its stock price. He's been diligent about growing this value, reinforcing the operational and financial strategies that drive the company's success. His investments can swing dramatically based on performance metrics set through various awards tied to stock price and revenue achievements that he has agreed to strive for.

Total Stock Sold

$8.05M

SMCI

$8.05M

17,380,510 SMCI shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Charles Liang didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra SMCI17,380,510 shares worth $37.33M.
This is 363.55% and $29.28M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

SMCI

21,463,150 shares

SMCI

Recent Charitable Transactions

SMCI

6,300 shares

SMCI

Nov 20, 2023

Charity

SMCI

16,000 shares

SMCI

Jan 4, 2023

Charity

SMCI

47,700 shares

SMCI

Jan 19, 2022

Charity

SMCI

50,000 shares

SMCI

Dec 4, 2020

Charity

SMCI

5,000 shares

SMCI

Nov 18, 2020

Charity

SMCI

506,250 shares

SMCI

Jun 30, 2020

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Charles Liang.

SMCI

$455.13K

SMCI at $866.92/share

Apr 29, 2024

Sale

SMCI

$458.01K

SMCI at $476.10/share

Jan 29, 2024

Sale

SMCI

$12.61M

SMCI at $252.18/share

Dec 5, 2023

Sale

SMCI

6,300 shares

SMCI

Nov 20, 2023

Charity

SMCI

$234.12K

SMCI at $243.62/share

Oct 27, 2023

Sale

SMCI

$316.88K

SMCI at $329.05/share

Jul 27, 2023

Sale

SMCI

$9.95M

SMCI at $226.45/share

Jun 1, 2023

Sale

SMCI

$3.20M

SMCI at $73.06/share

Jan 19, 2023

Sale

SMCI

$8.30M

SMCI at $83.02/share

Jan 17, 2023

Sale

SMCI

16,000 shares

SMCI

Jan 4, 2023

Charity

Compensation History

See how much did Charles Liang make over time.

In 2022, Charles Liang's total compensation was reported at $800,001, primarily made up of stock options, with a nominal salary of $1. His prior years have seen a wide range in earnings, peaking at over $6 million in 2021 due to performance bonuses and stock options, highlighting a trend towards performance-based compensation. He has agreed to no cash bonuses until June 2026, indicating a long-term focus on company goals rather than immediate rewards. This structure aligns his interests directly with company performance, demonstrating a dedication to increasing shareholder value.

Year

2022

Total Compensation

$2.00

Salary

$1.00

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy emphasizes performance-based compensation linked to company performance and stockholder value.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No cash bonuses through June 30, 2026 as part of the 2021 CEO Performance Award agreement.

Other

$1.00

Board Justification

Represents the minimal salary of $1 paid to Mr. Liang in 2022.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 options)

Board Justification

No stock awards vested in 2022 as Mr. Liang's compensation is primarily performance-based under the 2021 CEO Performance Award.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics include achieving specific revenue and stock price goals as outlined in the 2021 CEO Performance Award.

Other Super Micro Computer, Inc. CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

Howard Hideshima

Ex-CEO of Super Micro Computer, Inc.

January 2004 - July 2007