Key takeaways from our 2026 Corporate Development Compensation Report

In a recent Charles Aris report, we went back and examined corporate development offers we saw in 2025 to better understand how the market for top M&A talent evolved.

Download: 2026 Charles Aris Corporate Development Compensation Report

In addition to compensation levels across the corporate development leadership spectrum and corresponding industries, we tracked how these professionals are working, who they report to and how organizations are structuring long-term incentives such as equity and sign-on bonuses.

The data reveals meaningful shifts in several key areas, including workplace flexibility. Below, we explore the key findings from this year’s report and offer perspective on what they signal about the broader marketplace for corporate development leadership.

Long-term incentives have become a standard component of corporate development offers

One of the clearest themes from our 2025 data is the prevalence of long-term incentives in compensation packages. Overall, 68% of offers included some form of equity or long-term incentive compensation.

We believe this signals a continued shift toward aligning corporate development leaders with sustained enterprise value creation rather than short-term transaction activity.

We expect equity participation to remain a defining feature of competitive offers, particularly at the senior-most levels of corporate development.

Corporate development leaders increasingly report directly to the CEO

Historically, many corporate development functions reported through vice president or director roles. Our data suggests that structure is evolving. In 2025, 41% of the roles we placed reported directly to the CEO.

This shift reflects the growing strategic weight of M&A initiatives and the desire for tighter alignment between acquisition strategies and senior leadership.

For candidates, this reporting structure can meaningfully enhance both visibility and long-term career trajectory.

Remote work remains a defining factor in hiring senior M&A talent

We saw significantly fewer remote roles in 2025 compared to 2024, from 66% to 46%.

Even as nearly half of the candidates joined their new organizations in a remote capacity, this trend line shows we may have reached the “high water mark” for remote corporate development positions as more companies return to the office.

Deal-specific bonuses were uncommon in 2025

Although corporate development is inherently transaction-focused, only 11% of offers included a deal bonus.

Most organizations continue to favor annual performance incentives and long-term equity structures over per-transaction compensation models. This approach reinforces a broader emphasis on strategic execution and post-acquisition value creation rather than transaction volume alone.

Sign-on bonuses play a larger role in competitive offers

As competition for experienced M&A leaders persists, companies are increasingly using sign-on bonuses to bridge compensation gaps or offset forfeited incentives. In 2025, 33% of offers included a sign-on component.

Sign-on bonuses have become a practical tool for securing high-demand talent without permanently increasing fixed compensation. We anticipate continued use of sign-on structures as hiring markets remain selective and strategic.

Relocation is less common but still present in select searches.

Eight candidates we placed in 2025 relocated for their new corporate development roles. Relocation tends to occur when proximity to executive leadership, integration teams or specific portfolio assets is deemed critical.

The takeaway:

As corporate development continues to rise in strategic importance, organizations that thoughtfully structure compensation, reporting relationships and flexibility will be best positioned to attract and retain top-tier talent in 2026 and beyond.