In Pictures: Who are tech’s highest paid CEOs?

Sam Palmisano, former IBM CEO

In his final year as Big Blue’s CEO, Palmisano earned a $31.8 million pay package and steered the company to 4% revenue growth and 10% gains in net income. His 2011 compensation -- which is nearly equal to the $31.7 million he netted a year earlier -- included a $1.8 million salary, $6.5 million bonus, stock awards worth $14.3 million, $7.6 million attributed to changes in the value of his pension and retention plans, and $1.6 million in perks and other compensation. Palmisano, who remains chairman at IBM, handed the CEO reins to Virginia Rometty, effective Jan. 1, 2012. For 2011, IBM revenue climbed from $95.8 billion to $99.9 billion, and net income grew from $13.4 billion to $14.8 billion.