F. Thomson Leighton is the CEO of Akamai Technologies, where he has played a pivotal role since becoming the Chief Executive Officer in 2013. Before that, he was the Chief Scientist and a founding member of the company since 1998....

F. Thomson Leighton is the CEO of Akamai Technologies, where he has played a pivotal role since becoming the Chief Executive Officer in 2013. Before that, he was the Chief Scientist and a founding member of the company since 1998. Dr. Leighton holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he has also been a professor since 1982, demonstrating his deep expertise in engineering. He has a unique compensation structure that reflects his commitment to Akamai; his base salary has been a mere $1, emphasizing performance-based bonuses instead. In 2022, his total compensation was over $16 million, primarily coming from significant stock awards that vested based on the company’s performance. Interesting to note, he made substantial insider stock trades, indicating his belief in the company’s future, with share values reaching as high as $278.53 million recently. Leighton’s strategy focuses on aligning executive pay with performance and shareholder interests, aiming for long-term growth. His approach combines practicality with a strong foundation in mathematics, making him a noteworthy leader in the tech industry.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Akamai Technologies CEOs

A

F. Thomson Leighton

Founder and Ex-CEO of Akamai Technologies

Education

Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Field of Expertise

Technology & Engineering - Engineering

Sector of Economy

Technology

Born

March 15, 1966 - 59 years ago

CEO of Akamai Technologies for

9 years 4 months (Jan 2013 - May 2022)

Previous Experience

Co-founder and Chief Scientist of Akamai Technologies, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of F. Thomson Leighton

F

Todd Nightingale

CEO of Fastly

2023 Compensation

Stock

$8.99M

Salary

$600.00K

Bonus

$600.00K

Other

$0.00

Total Holdings

$11.52M

V

Mark Dankberg

Founder and CEO of Viasat

2023 Compensation

Stock

$3.81M

Salary

$1.37M

Bonus

$1.76M

Other

$26.25K

Total Holdings

$16.78M

C

Matthew Prince

Founder and CEO of Cloudflare, Inc.

2023 Compensation

Stock

$18.33M

Salary

$400.00K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$783.96K

Total Holdings

$51.04M

Holdings

See how much did F. Thomson Leighton make over time.

F. Thomson Leighton has shown great confidence in Akamai through his insider trades. In 2021, his share values began around $19.91 million and increased significantly, peaking at approximately $265.13 million by April 2022. There were fluctuations throughout, but as of...

F. Thomson Leighton has shown great confidence in Akamai through his insider trades. In 2021, his share values began around $19.91 million and increased significantly, peaking at approximately $265.13 million by April 2022. There were fluctuations throughout, but as of 2023, his holdings have mostly remained robust, hovering around the $250 million mark. This level of commitment indicates not just belief in Akamai's growth potential but a confidence that mirrors the company’s strong performance metrics.

Charitable Transactions

AKAM

5,168,590 shares

AKAM

Recent Charitable Transactions

AKAM

75,340 shares

AKAM

Mar 3, 2025

Charity

AKAM

92,006 shares

AKAM

Aug 28, 2023

Charity

AKAM

288,742 shares

AKAM

Aug 1, 2022

Charity

AKAM

660,000 shares

AKAM

Dec 31, 2020

Charity

AKAM

423,015 shares

AKAM

Dec 31, 2019

Charity

AKAM

700,000 shares

AKAM

Dec 31, 2018

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of F. Thomson Leighton.

AKAM

75,340 shares

AKAM

Mar 3, 2025

Charity

AKAM

$6.01M

AKAM at $79.79/share

Feb 27, 2025

Purchase

AKAM

28,372 shares

AKAM

Feb 21, 2025

Received

AKAM

$2.04M

AKAM at $92.68/share

May 14, 2024

Purchase

AKAM

21,840 shares

AKAM

Feb 21, 2024

Received

AKAM

92,006 shares

AKAM

Aug 28, 2023

Charity

AKAM

$25.08K

AKAM at $91.20/share

Jun 20, 2023

Purchase

AKAM

$75.09K

AKAM at $91.80/share

Jun 14, 2023

Purchase

AKAM

$50.10K

AKAM at $92.62/share

Jun 12, 2023

Purchase

AKAM

$74.80K

AKAM at $93.04/share

Jun 7, 2023

Purchase

Compensation History

See how much did F. Thomson Leighton make over time.

In 2022, F. Thomson Leighton's total compensation was about $16.6 million, which includes a $1 salary and a substantial annual bonus based on performance metrics. His bonus was around $930,000, primarily paid in the form of stock. This aligns with Akamai's focus on tying executive compensation to company performance. In 2021, his total compensation was significantly lower at about $2.1 million, which shows how his income can be heavily influenced by the company’s successes. The majority of his pay comes from vested stocks rather than cash, demonstrating his long-term vision for Akamai's growth. Over the years, he has continued to prioritize performance-based compensation plans that reward him for creating shareholder value.

Year

2022

Total Compensation

$16.64M

Salary

$1.00

Board Justification

Akamai's compensation philosophy aims to align executive compensation with performance and shareholder interests, emphasizing variable pay that is at risk based on company performance.

Bonus

$929.83K

Board Justification

The annual bonus for 2022 was set at a target of $1,500,000, with actual payout based on performance metrics resulting in a payout of $929,827, paid entirely in shares of common stock in lieu of cash.

Other

$0.00

Board Justification

No additional compensation was reported outside of salary, bonus, and vested stock.

Restricted Stock

$15.71M(152.88K RSU)

Board Justification

The stock awards that vested in 2022 include time-vesting RSUs, with a total of 152,879 shares vested during the year.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for determining the annual bonus included revenue growth and non-GAAP operating income, with an ESG modifier affecting the final payout.

Other Akamai Technologies CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Akamai Technologies

Paul Sagan

Ex-CEO of Akamai Technologies

April 2005 - January 2013

Rick McConnell

CEO of Akamai Technologies

May 2022 - Present