Google executives earn only $1 - maybe

Googles 2006 accounts have shown that the search engine giant only paid its three executives salaries of $1 (50p) .

We read this and felt really sorry for them. However it may be a small consolation to them that they have shares in the company. Since the shares were listed in August 2004 shares they have risen from $85 to $460.48 last year. Mr Brin, president of technology has shares in Google worth $13.2bn, Mr Page has shares of $13.4bn and Mr Schmidt's has $4.9bn. Their combined Google shares were worth $31.5bn at the end of the year.

Mr Schmidt's recieved "other compensation", of $555,742 and Larry Page's was $36,795. For both of them most of this went towards personal security.

Four vice presidents - George Reyes, Shona Brown, David Drummond and Jonathan Rosenberg - had salaries of $250,000 last year.

We were going to suggest that we start a collection for them but it looks like they'll not be needing it.