A. William Stein has been a key player at Digital Realty Trust since 2004, starting as CFO and stepping up to CEO in 2014. He led the company through significant growth in the tech real estate sector, a crucial area...

A. William Stein has been a key player at Digital Realty Trust since 2004, starting as CFO and stepping up to CEO in 2014. He led the company through significant growth in the tech real estate sector, a crucial area as digital infrastructure becomes ever more important. During his tenure, he had a compensation package that peaked at over $17 million in 2021, driven by a strong performance bonus of $3.5 million. However, his position at the company came to an unexpected end in December 2022 when he was let go without cause, receiving a severance of over $10 million. His leadership style was all about hitting big targets and aligning incentives with shareholders by pushing for improvements in revenue and operational efficiency. Stein's approach has shaped how Digital Realty operates in the competitive landscape of data centers and tech real estate, making it a formidable player in the market larger than ever before. While the conclusion of his leadership came abruptly, his impact on Digital Realty remains significant.