From Kolkata to corporate America: How Shankh Mitra became the world's second-highest paid CEO

Mitra, the chief executive of Welltower, a real estate investment trust focused on senior housing, healthcare facilities and wellness properties, received the bulk of his compensation through long-term, performance-linked stock awards.

From Jadavpur University to Columbia Business School

Originally from Kolkata, Mitra earned an engineering degree from Jadavpur University before moving to the United States to pursue an MBA in Applied Value Investing from Columbia Business School.

He began his professional career at PwC, spending five years in finance and business advisory before transitioning to the investment sector.

Built a reputation on Wall Street

In 2009, Mitra joined Fidelity Investments as an analyst and later held key roles at hedge fund giants Citadel and Millennium Management, where he specialised in real estate securities and portfolio management.

His success in the sector established him as one of Wall Street's leading real estate investors.

Rapid rise at Welltower

Mitra joined Welltower in 2016 and quickly climbed the corporate ladder. He was appointed Chief Investment Officer in 2018 and became the company's CEO in 2020.

At the time of his appointment, lead independent director Jeffrey H. Donahue credited Mitra's leadership, investment expertise and strategic vision with positioning the company for sustained long-term growth.

Under his leadership, Welltower has expanded its footprint in senior housing and healthcare real estate while delivering strong returns to shareholders.

Why his pay package is so large

Nearly 99 per cent of Mitra's compensation came in the form of stock awards, including a performance-based grant valued at around $789 million.

The award is tied to ambitious long-term targets related to the company's market value and shareholder returns.

Much of the stock will vest only if Mitra remains with the company and those performance goals are achieved.

Thanks to Welltower's strong share-price growth, the value of the awarded shares had reportedly climbed to more than $1 billion by the end of 2025.

Among the world's highest-paid executives

Mitra's record-breaking compensation reflects the broader rise in executive pay in 2025 and underscores the growing influence of Indian-origin leaders in global business.

Another Indian-origin executive, Nikesh Arora, also featured among the world's highest-paid CEOs this year with a compensation package worth $100 million.

From an engineering student in Kolkata to one of the highest-paid corporate leaders in the world, Shankh Mitra's journey highlights the expanding global footprint of Indian talent in business leadership.