A 40 per cent jump in Hutchison Whampoa's net profit last year failed to improve the future of most of its executives, including managing director Canning Fok Kin-ning - although he still topped the pay charts for executives of Hong Kong-listed firms for the sixth consecutive year.
Mr Fok was paid HK$130.94 million, down 0.01 per cent from 2005. His bonus last year was unchanged at HK$119 million.
Mr Fok was the key driver of the Li Ka-shing flagship's strong financial performance last year, when its net profit jumped to HK$20 billion, thanks to the sale of a 20 per cent stake in its Hutchison Port Holdings that led to a windfall profit of HK$24.38 billion.
The exceptional gain helped offset a HK$20 billion loss at Hutchison's 3G business, mainly from its ventures in Italy and Britain. The sprawling conglomerate also reported declining profits in retail and infrastructure businesses.
The last time Mr Fok - nicknamed 'Hong Kong Working King' - and his nine-digit pay cheque were bested by another executive was in 2000, when then PCCW vice-chairman Francis Yuen Tin-fan earned HK$283 million, mainly from stock options.
Mr Fok, who has earned nine-digit bonuses since 1999, has accumulated a total payout in excess of HK$1 billion.