Ira T. Kay, a Managing Partner and founder at Pay Governance LLC, is one of the nation’s foremost experts on executive compensation, with specialized expertise in financial services, banking, insurance and capital markets.

He works closely with boards and management to help them develop executive compensation programs that balance executive motivation and shareholder interests. His clients include premier American and global corporations covering an array of industries including industrials, technology, and financial services companies. He has substantial international experience including Ireland, Israel, Switzerland, UK, Canada, China, among others.

Ira is an expert on the linkage of executive pay to risk and performance. He has met with shareholders, ISS and the SEC to influence their executive compensation policies. He/PG submitted an extensive comment letter to the SEC on the new pay for performance model called Pay versus Performance [PVP] using Compensation Actually Paid [CAP]. Several of our suggestions were incorporated. Our published (HLS Governance Forum) empirical research on the strong PVP alignment is unique and very persuasive.

Ira’s research has been used by clients, academics and quoted by the media. Ira writes and speaks regularly on executive compensation issues. He is the editor of the book titled “Balancing the Tension: Current Topics in Executive Compensation.” This book, written by the partners and consultants of Pay Governance, documents the realities of executive pay and the forces that have shaped executive pay in recent years.

Ira holds a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in economics from Wayne State University.