Reckitt boss Becht's rise to £4.24m

PROOF there is big money even in unglamorous products like toilet-cleaner came today, as Reckitt Benckiser lifted chief executive Bart Becht's pay package to £4.24m.

The 63% pay rise makes the package one of the biggest in a British manufacturing company. Dutchman Becht received a £2.81m bonus as well as basic pay of £950,000. Consultancy advice on minimising his tax bill, school fees and a £387,000 pension top-up were also included.

Reckitt, best- known in Britain for Harpic, Dettol and Finish, said executive bonuses had risen because the company 'exceeded its own net revenue and income stretch targets for the year'.

Becht, 47, a former Procter & Gamble executive, was appointed chief executive after the merger of Reckitt & Colman and Benckiser in 1999.

Since then he has helped more than double the share price, boosting the company's market value to more than £9bn.

Finance director Colin Day also enjoyed the company's largesse, becoming one of the highest paid finance directors in manufacturing with a 42% hike to £1.35m.

The pay rises were approved by chairman Adrian Bellamy, who received £171,000 for his first year in the job.

Big boardroom pay awards already seen in banking, media and other service industries appear to be spreading into the less-glamorous areas of manufacturing.

BAE Systems chief executive Mike Turner received a 73% boost to £1.23m, while Nigel Northridge, head of cigarette maker Gallaher Group, made £1.71m, also up by 73%.