First, Kroger chief David Dillon called his pay package “ludicrous” at the Aspen Ideas festival.
Later, perhaps after having received some guff from his CEO peers, he walked that back a bit.
Finally, he concluded: “But when I look at what’s expected typically of a CEO, the life expectancy, the lack of job security, the 7-by-24 commitment, I don’t dispute that they ought to be paid really well. It’s just that I think it’s gotten a little bit out of hand.”
But at least he talked about it, and perhaps your client can use his shilly-shallying as a jumping off point for something a little more coherent and pointed.