I don't know about you, or Cook, but where i live, everybody needs. When you don't need they look at you like at an alien. They even teach children in school that there are 2 important things in life: money and power.

Back to Apple: if they start to look at 99 Milions $ maybe you shall search for another supplier. Just saying.

Who or what determines what someone needs to earn?

How much do you earn? Could you survive if you got paid 15% less? How about 50% less? Well, if you don't need it then, how about we just cut your pay based on what some arbitrary person decides you "need".

Well in this case, the board and shareholders.

They don't determine how much Cook or anyone needs to earn, they determine how much they are willing to pay to get the CEO they want.

> Who or what determines what someone needs to earn?

As the song says: "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends"

Question is - is it anyone's business what a company pays its CEO beyond those who own it?

I know of one entity whose business it is; the government. They could heavily tax him (or find new ways to do it), or even legislate top allowed compensations.

They don't do that now, but it's perfectly within their rights to do so if politics takes a hard left.

> but it's perfectly within their rights to do so if politics takes a hard left.

I don't see that happening the USA.

But we’re talking about pay, not taxes.

Of course the government could tax him heavily - that’s not the question at hand.

Shareholder vote surely is "those who own it".

Yes, it's the shareholders business for they own the company.

That’s why I said “beyond those who own it?”

Theoretically, no. But look what a beautiful thread is on HN. Religion has thought mere mortals to be interested in the life of gods.

Is it?