Synopsis The impact of COVID-19 on different industry segments has not been uniform and within the sectors the effects have been varied. CEOs at the helm of digital-ready businesses were able to deliver superior business performance while others who were quick to respond to the government impetus on economic recovery, saw a correspondingly better pay hike. ThinkStock Photos CEO compensation is increasingly driven by reward elements that aligns their remuneration with long term business performance and shareholders’ interests. If the larger population of India Inc has traversed an incredibly difficult and uncertain last 15 months, one can only imagine the turmoil, trials and tribulations that Indian CEOs must have gone through, as they steered their respective ships in the most choppy and fearsome waters ever experienced in their lifetimes. We are still reeling from the devastating aftermath of the second wave of COVID-19 and the concerns over a potential third wave remain around the corner, though the panacea offered by vaccinations and faster recovery seems to be allaying fears and feeding fortunes much better than what we had experienced in the middle of 2020.