What a second board seat is actually worth, market by market
Non-executive fees vary by more than a factor of five across the markets on this exchange, and the ranking is not the one most candidates assume.
15 August 2026
Switzerland and the United States sit at the top. A board member of an SMI-listed Swiss company is commonly in the CHF 200,000 to 400,000 range; total compensation for an S&P 500 director is typically USD 250,000 to 350,000, though a large share of that is restricted stock rather than cash.
The United Kingdom and Australia occupy a middle band — roughly £70,000 to £150,000 and AUD 120,000 to 250,000 respectively — with committee chairs adding a defined uplift. Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany land below that, and the Gulf markets vary widely between listed PJSCs and regulated free-zone entities.
Every figure above is drawn from mandatory public disclosure — remuneration reports, proxy statements, annual reports — rather than from a survey, so any specific company can be checked directly.
What it means for a cross-border candidate
Fee level is the wrong variable to optimise a portfolio on, and the tax and equity treatment is where the real difference lies. US equity compensation creates filing exposure for a non-resident; Hong Kong charges directors' fees from a Hong Kong-resident company to salaries tax in full regardless of where the duties are performed; Swiss fees are withheld at source. Two seats with identical headline fees can differ materially in what reaches you.
This paragraph is the Global ID Exchange’s own reading, not a statement by any authority named above. Everything in the body of this item is a matter of record; this is judgement.
Sources
- Company remuneration reports and proxy statements across the markets listed
- Disclosure regimes: UK Companies Act directors' remuneration report; SEC Schedule 14A; Swiss CO Art. 735
Rules change and transitional provisions frequently apply. Verify against the primary instrument before you rely on any provision described here.
Read next: compare markets side by side and the cross-border eligibility checker.