The preliminary assessment is free and limited. Formal studies and expert reports require a separate paid engagement.
Who this is for
For boards, compensation committees, HR leaders and finance teams reviewing executive, employee or sales rewards.
Bring market evidence, affordability, performance goals and governance requirements into one compensation decision.
Possible scope and outputs
A review of reward philosophy, market comparisons and current programs.
Pay or incentive alternatives with relevant cost and performance considerations.
Recommendations for governance, communication and program review.
We agree the scope, deliverables, responsibilities and fees before work begins. The outputs depend on the question and information available.
Compensation engagements
Executive Compensation Analysis for Nonprofit CEOs
Independent market comparisons of CEO salary, incentives, benefits and retirement arrangements.
Analysis of role responsibilities, organizational size and relevant peer organizations.
Written findings and board-ready materials to support compensation decisions and review with counsel.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Market-based analysis for CEOs and other executives, including leaders with combined responsibilities.
Review of salary, annual incentives, long-term incentives, benefits and total compensation.
Pay-range recommendations reflecting role scope, industry, organizational size and performance.
Executive Retirement and Transition Advisory
Evaluation of continued-employment, retirement, separation and consulting arrangements.
Comparison of package alternatives, costs and payment timing.
Scenario models and supporting materials for management, boards and their legal and tax advisers.
Incentive Plan Design
Design and review of annual, mid-term and long-term incentive programs.
Performance measures, weightings, award opportunities and payout structures.
Cash and equity-linked arrangements supporting performance and retention.
Independent Reasonable Compensation Reviews
Independent assessment of whether compensation is supported by an executive’s responsibilities and relevant market evidence.
Reviews supporting employment-agreement requirements, governance decisions and periodic pay assessments.
Written analysis of salary, bonuses, benefits and other compensation components.
Investment-Firm and Partner Compensation
Compensation and reward arrangements for investment-firm leaders, partners and key employees.
Review of salary, annual incentives, equity participation and performance-linked ownership arrangements.
Evaluation of alternatives that align individual rewards, retention and the organization’s objectives.
Compensation Committee and Director-Pay Advisory
Executive and director compensation reviews, peer-group analysis and committee decision support.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) and proxy-disclosure support, coordinated with management and counsel.
Stock-ownership guidelines, share-usage analysis, compensation tally sheets and retention scenarios.
Grahall provides compensation consulting and analysis. Legal, tax and accounting advice, document approval and implementation decisions remain with the client and its qualified advisers.
CEO and senior-team compensation reviews
Grahall advises boards, CEOs and senior leadership teams on executive pay, with particular focus on private equity, alternative asset management and founder-led private firms.
Board-side CEO pay reviews: assess market positioning, incentive design and performance goals in the context of the firm’s strategy.
CEO-side reviews: provide a confidential, data-backed view of an executive’s compensation for personal planning or discussions with the board, including compensation analysis to support employment-agreement discussions. This is compensation analysis, not legal advice or legal drafting.
Top-team reviews: evaluate the CEO and senior team using a consistent method so the findings fit together.
How a compensation study works
We begin with the responsibilities of the role, not the title alone. A job-analysis questionnaire and interview help document business scope, time allocation, decision-making authority, required knowledge and skills, performance and the current pay arrangement.
Analyze the role. Develop a written job description and evaluate know-how, problem solving and accountability using a point-factor method.
Build the market evidence. Review relevant public-company disclosures or nonprofit Form 990 filings, use revenue-based regression where appropriate, and cross-check the result against published surveys and Grahall’s client data.
Apply judgment. Consider role scope, complexity, experience, business results, private-company pay practices and the return expected by owners.
Explain the findings. Present the conclusion and range in plain language, show the sources and assumptions, and compare pay components with the relevant market. Board presentations can be included in the agreed scope.
Frontline incentive design and communication
For employers reviewing workforce reliability or retention, we help translate the objective into clear eligibility rules, milestones and payout arrangements.
We compare plan options and model their costs using stated workforce and pay assumptions. Pay examples show how the proposed rules would apply, while review points identify decisions the employer and its advisers need to make before launch.
Possible outputs include an incentive-plan summary, payout and cost scenarios, a payout calendar, employee handouts, FAQs and supervisor talking points. These are design and decision-support materials; client approval and implementation are separate steps.
How we can help
Investor rewards review
Examine how director and executive rewards relate to strategy, performance and shareholder interests.
Board compensation
Evaluate director pay in the context of board responsibilities and market practices.
Executive rewards
Support compensation strategy and decisions for committees and senior leaders.
Sales compensation
Assess programs, model alternatives and support implementation and launch.
Employee rewards
Connect compensation and benefits with people and business strategy.
Actuarial services
Evaluate health, disability and retirement programs, including funding, governance, cost and benefit adequacy.
Benefits competitiveness
Review retirement, health, life, accident and disability benefits for competitiveness, cost and risk.
Benchmarking
Interpret market practices to inform reward decisions.
Explore the frameworks behind reward decisions.
Prepare a clear starting point for market comparisons, executive and board pay, incentives and the broader employee reward offering.
