Marvel CEO awarded options just before bid

A report states that Marvel Entertainment Inc. Chief Executive Isaac Perlmutter was granted stock options for more than a million shares in the weeks after a subordinate opened discussions with Walt Disney Co. that ultimately led to a merger agreement (Wall St Journal, 24 Sept).
ProGov suggests a simple solution to the problem of excessive executive compensation. As the fish starts to smell at the top the problem really is in essence a problem of excessive chief executive compensation. In order to control executive pay all chief executive compensation should consist only of a basic salary and perks (incentive bonus, share options, pension and medical care) that are granted pro-rata to all employees of a firm. That way any discriminatory pay that favors the man at the top is prevented. The gaming of option, incentive and pension schemes is avoided. No complicated performance targets have to be designed and policed. It is also morally repugnant if chief executives get gold-plated pensions, parachutes etc while the rest of the workforce gets the crumbs that fall off the table. Of course, chief executives may receive base salaries that are (too) high but that will be more easy to monitor and police. Discretionary and discriminatory option awards such as the one awarded to Mr. Perlmutter will be a thing of the past. And Chief executives will have more incentive to moderate compensation further down the ranks. All incentive schemes and pension schemes should be based purely on a pro-rata basis and pay for exceptional performance by individual employees can continue to be freely set by the respective line managers.