Also, keep in mind, a CEO might earn 2 million a year, but if he rakes in 50 million a year for the company it's a worthy investment.
No CEO has ever done that alone.
Do you have proof? Would Microsoft exist without Bill Gates? Would Apple have existed without Steve Jobs? Would Facebook have existed without Mark Zuckerberg?
Looks like you missed the point, we aren't discussing existentialism.
Though each made great contributions, none of those are alone in those contributions.
On the existence question, would any of those companies exist without the folks in the trenches?
The CEO that claims they are making all the difference has more hubris than leadership.