The pay gulf between blue-chip chief executives in the UK and US widened even further last year, new figures show, as a debate rages in the City over London-listed firms’ ability to attract and retain top talent.

Median pay for FTSE 100 CEOs was £4.1m last year, up just 0.5 per cent or roughly £20,000 from 2022, according to analysis by Willis Towers Watson for the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, data from proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) shows average CEO pay in the US rose at its fastest pace in 14 years in 2023, with S&P 500 bosses paid a median of nearly $16m (£12.6m). READ MORE