Executive pay has risen despite a fall in company performance, according to research carried out by government body Pirc and investment firm Railpen.
The Say on Pay: Six Years On report said that total remuneration has continued to grow even when markets had fallen.
The report suggested that some shareholders have not used their voting rights effectively, with the average vote against a company’s remuneration report falling from a peak in the 2004 season.
Cash payments to executives working for FTSE 100 companies increased by 80% between 2000 and 2008.