Good karma earns Satya Nadella $11.6 mn in 2014

Microsoft's Indian-American CEO Satya Nadella, who stirred a controversy by his remarks that women should trust their karma for pay raises, himself earned $11.6 million in fiscal 2014, not counting $79.78 million in stock awards.

Nadella's earnings include compensation as head of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise division before he became CEO in February, the Seattle Times reported citing company's proxy statement filed Monday with the US Security and Exchange Commission.

Microsoft's fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30. Nadella's salary for that time period includes $918,917 in base pay along with a $3.6 million cash award and a $7.09 million annual stock award. In addition, he was also granted stock awards worth $79.78 million, including the $7.09 million he actually received in fiscal year 2014.

Nadella's compensation package in fiscal year 2013 was $7.67 million. His compensation package for fiscal year 2015, his first full year as CEO, could have him earning up to $18 million, the Times said.

Meanwhile, Nadella who has since apologised several times for his controversial comments on women in tech, Monday claimed Microsoft has no pay gap between men, women, according to CNET.

Appearing at an event in San Francisco to pitch his company's cloud services, he again faced questions about his comments earlier this month that women should have "faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go along."

Women represent 29 percent of Microsoft's workforce, with only 17 percent working directly in technology.

CNET cited a new report published in September saying women at tech companies earn $6,358 less than their male counterparts, while women with at least one child earn $11,247 less than everyone else.

"I was insensitive to the broader context," Nadella said Monday claiming he found no pay gap between men and women at Microsoft.

"It turns out that we are in good shape on that, but that doesn't really capture the essence... and that is equal opportunity."

"We have a lot more to do," Nadella was quoted as saying by CNET. "How do we get women to come back after they've taken a break?" he added, but didn't proffer any answers.

In another interview with CNBC, Nadella said he "was completely wrong in the answer" he gave to the question about women "Because I basically took my own approach, to how I've approached my career and sprung it on half the humanity."

"And that was just insensitive. [...] I just gave a very generic answer - based on, quite frankly, what I've believed and how I've practiced and lived my life - without thinking through, what if someone was faced with

bias in their career?" he said.

"How would they feel by sort of getting advice that says, 'Be passive'? . [I]n the face of bias, the last thing I want anyone is to be passive," Nadella said.