Cerence (CRNC) executive compensation, 2026 proxy

Brian Krzanich, President and Chief Executive Officer, was paid $8.5M in 2025. The CEO-to-median-employee pay ratio was 115:1, on median employee pay of $74,581.

Filed
January 2, 2026
Annual meeting
February 12, 2026
Pay year
2025
Named executives
6
CEO total pay
$8.5M2025
CEO to median employee
115:1median $74,581
CEO pay in equity
82%$7M in awards
Prior say-on-pay support
96%of votes cast
CEO Target Bonus
$590,137Target STIP award for Brian Krzanich
Stock Awards % of CEO Pay
82%Proportion of total compensation from stock
Say-on-Pay Support
96.4%Prior year advisory vote support
Automotive Production Share
52%Estimated cars with Cerence technology

How Krzanich was paid

$8.5M in total for 2025, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table. Equity awards are valued at grant, not at what they turned out to be worth.

Salary7%Stock awards82%Non-equity incentive11%All other compensation0%

Named executive officers

ExecutiveTotal
Brian KrzanichPresident and Chief Executive Officer$8,544,306
Dr. Stefan OrtmannsFormer President and Chief Executive Officer$2,608,182
Antonio RodriquezEVP, Chief Financial Officer$5,735,685
Nils SchanzEVP, Product and Technology$4,345,657
Jennifer SalinasEVP, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel$3,744,577
Christian MentzEVP, Chief Revenue Officer$4,067,486

What changed and why

  • Brian Krzanich was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer effective October 7, 2024.
  • $8.5MTotal compensation for CEO Brian Krzanich reached $8,544,306 in fiscal year 2025.
  • Dr. Stefan Ortmanns ceased serving as President and Chief Executive Officer effective October 6, 2024.
  • $7MStock awards for the CEO totaled $6,996,538 based on grant date fair value calculations.
  • The ratio of the CEO's annualized total compensation to the median employee's total compensation was approximately 115:1.

About this page

Figures are automated and can be wrong; check the filing for the exact numbers. Totals follow SEC rules, which value stock and option awards at grant. Read the DEF 14A proxy statement for footnotes and the compensation committee's full reasoning.