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A Tencent manager reportedly earning Rs 4.5 crore a year lost his job after a screenshot of his pay package spread online, leading the company to take strict action
The real reason behind his dismissal has sparked debate. (representational image)
A senior Tencent employee has lost his job after details of his annual pay package spread across social media. The dismissal has sparked discussions in China, with many people focusing not just on the size of his salary but also on why the company decided to take action. The employee, identified only by his surname, Ye, worked as a project manager in Tencent’s Weixin Group, the team behind WeChat.
According to the company, he was fired for leaking confidential internal information, which it said caused serious damage both inside and outside the organisation.
How The Salary Details Became Public
The controversy began after a screenshot believed to be from Tencent’s internal system started circulating online. The image reportedly showed that Ye’s annual compensation was around 3.17 million yuan, which is roughly Rs 4.5 crore.
According to the South China Morning Post, the package included a cash bonus of more than 820,000 yuan (around Rs 1.2 crore), along with stock-based rewards worth over 2.35 million yuan. Some Chinese media reports claimed that Ye himself shared an image of his year-end income statement on social media.
While many people were surprised by the amount he earned, others noticed that the screenshot carried an internal Tencent watermark. This raised concerns that company information had been shared outside the organisation.
Company Says Confidential Information Was Leaked
Tencent later issued an internal notice explaining why it had dismissed the employee. According to the company, Ye had leaked confidential corporate information to external parties, violating company rules. Tencent said the incident had a “severe negative impact both inside and outside the company.”
The notice also stated that Ye had been permanently barred from working at Tencent again. The company said it would issue another internal circular explaining the disciplinary action taken in the case.
Tencent’s policies prevent employees from sharing sensitive information, including internal documents, employee records, unreleased source code, trade secrets and company communications.
Strong Performance But Strict Company Rules
Reports in Chinese media said Ye had received Tencent’s highest performance rating twice during the previous year. The company reportedly ranks employees under three categories, outstanding, good and insufficient. The highest rating is usually given to only about 10 to 20 per cent of employees in a team.
His cash bonus alone was reportedly equal to around six months of salary. Despite his strong performance, Tencent said violating its confidentiality rules was a serious offence.
Tencent Continues Tightening Compliance
The dismissal comes as Tencent increases its focus on employee conduct and internal compliance. In its annual corporate report released in January, the Shenzhen-based technology company said its anti-corruption and compliance team uncovered more than 70 cases of misconduct during 2025.
Those investigations resulted in the dismissal of more than 90 employees. Tencent also said over 20 people were handed over to law enforcement for suspected criminal offences related to misconduct.
Internet Reacts To The Dismissal
As the news spread online, many people shared their views on the incident. While some questioned why anyone would leak such information, others pointed to the growing gap between executive pay and employee layoffs.
A user wrote, “7-figure bonus sounds like a wild flex to leak.” Another commented, “My company gave one of our c-suite creatures a 9 figure bonus.. meanwhile, layoff after layoff after layoff for the rank and file employees.”
The discussion soon expanded beyond Tencent, with many users debating executive compensation, workplace transparency and corporate priorities.
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