Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer, David Zapolsky, earned only $372,000 in compensation in 2025, according to Amazon’s securities filing.
The compensation dropped from his $25.7 million overall compensation in 2024. The compensation arose in 2024 after $25.3 million of Stock Awards were exercised in the same year, after Zapolsky received a restricted stock unit award for 139,665 shares that vests over 6 years, through 2030, with approximately 70% of the shares scheduled to vest more than three years after grant (in 2027 through 2030).
In making this grant, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee considered the factors that Zapolsky’s experience and skill in managing the Company’s global legal and public policy organisations, sustained performance over the years preceding the grant, and his expected future contributions, including his continued oversight of our global legal and public policy organisations.
Key aspects of Zapolsky’s performance included: the quality and thoroughness of his counsel and advice to management and the Board on legal, regulatory, and policy issues arising in the course of the Company’s growth; the development of legal, compliance, and public policy programs and initiatives that he has overseen to support the Worldwide Amazon Stores operations, AWS, other businesses, and the finance organization as those groups have embarked on new projects, entered new jurisdictions, and undertaken new businesses.
Further, his management of actual and threatened claims, litigation, reviews, investigations, and regulatory and other proceedings involving a wide range of issues on a global basis, including proceedings brought by the European Commission and U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and his continued support of Amazon’s pro bono program, were the reasons relied upon for the Stock Awards of $25.3 million.
The salary for Andrew R. Jassy, President and Chief Executive Officer; Brian T. Olsavsky, SVP and Chief Financial Officer; Douglas J. Herrington, CEO Worldwide Amazon Stores, and David A. Zapolsky, SVP, Chief Global Affairs & Legal Officer, has been $365,000 annually since 2023.
Andrew R. Jassy was the highest compensated executive with $2.07 million in 2025. The compensation for Jeffrey P. Bezos stood at $1.6 million million since 2023, with compensation at $81,840.
Amazon’s Audit Committee has appointed, and has also requested ratification by the shareholders of the appointment of, the registered public accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP (EY) to serve as independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026.
EY has served as Amazon’s independent auditor since 1996
