Bizarre HR: Google’s $100 million man

Neal Mohan is a guy Google did not want to lose.

New information has emerged from Silicon Valley, allegedly proving the length tech giant Google will go to in order to retain its top talent.

According to Business Insider, Mohan – a Google vice president – was paid US$100 million (S$1.24 m) in stock options in 2011 when the company realised Twitter had apparently offered him a job as their chief product officer.

Mohan is currently the man in charge of Google’s display ads, and is responsible for launching and developing the company’s approach for that side of the business.

He is apparently given free reign to develop the display ad business as he sees fit, and he has also overseen Google’s acquisition of start-up companies to help strengthen their ad market.

Business Insider, who spoke to Mohan’s friends and colleagues, alleged he will bring in an estimated US$7 billion (S$8.6 b) for Google this year.

His stock options, which would fully vest in three years, are currently worth about US$150 million (S$186 m) since the company’s stock price increased about 35% in the two years since the reported deal.

“He is the quiet assassin. He's not a big show-boater,” one client told Business Insider.

TechCrunch reported another key product employee, Sundar Pichai, was also apparently offered US$50 million (S$62 m) to stay on board.

Mohan’s reported $100 million offer, spread over three years, makes him one of the highest paid employees at Google – with only billionaire CEO Eric Schmidt making more than him, Daily Mail reported.

Although Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are each worth more than US$20 billion, they now receive only $1 a year from the company.