How Srini Gopalan became Deutsche Telekom's top earner – by moving to T-Mobile US
The outgoing head of Deutsche Telekom Germany moves to T-Mobile US – and earns more there than his own group CEO Tim Höttges. SEC filings show how the package adds up.
A CEO who earns more than his team? Not always. Srini Gopalan, until recently head of Deutsche Telekom’s German business, is moving to the US – and will be paid more there than his own group CEO Tim Höttges. How that happens, and what’s in the multi-million-dollar package.
💰 Multi-million-dollar pay in the US
With his move to T-Mobile US, Gopalan steps not only into a new role but into a new pay class. His total package significantly exceeds Höttges’ – and that is not unusual in the telecoms industry.
✈️ Benefits for the whole family
It’s not just Gopalan himself who benefits from the move. T-Mobile covers relocation costs and tax advice and also pays for Gopalan, his wife and his children up to 32 first-class round-trip flights – over a two-year period.
🚀 A career in Germany or in the US?
Gopalan was considered one of the favourites to succeed Höttges at the top of Deutsche Telekom. But with the surprise extension of the CEO’s contract until 2028, the path upward seemed blocked. Instead, Gopalan now crosses the Atlantic – with new responsibilities and even more weight on his shoulders.
📈 Strategic significance for Deutsche Telekom
Why does T-Mobile US pay so much more than headquarters in Bonn? And what role will Gopalan play in the company’s future strategy? One thing is clear: the US subsidiary has long been Deutsche Telekom’s most important growth driver – and this move shows where the priorities lie.
I wrote the full piece for Handelsblatt.