Amgen vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Amgen was founded in 1980 by George B. Rathmann, William K. Bowes Jr. and is led by Robert A. Bradway. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Founders
Amgen
George B. Rathmann
Amgen, originally incorporated as Applied Molecular Genetics, was founded in 1980 not by a single scientist, but by a calculated syndicate of venture capitalists and academics trying to commercialize the brand-new science of recombinant DNA.
William K. Bowes Jr.
William K. Bowes Jr. Was the venture capital strategist whose vision catalyzed Amgen's formation.
Unilever
William Hesketh Lever
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885 and built it around Sunlight Soap, one of the first branded, individually wrapped soaps sold at mass scale.
Samuel van den Bergh
Samuel van den Bergh led Van den Bergh, a Dutch margarine maker that became one of Jurgens' main rivals. The two families combined their businesses into Margarine Unie in 1927, and Margarine Unie merged with Lever Brothers in 1929 to create Unilever.
Anton Jurgens
Anton Jurgens' family firm was among the first to manufacture margarine commercially in the Netherlands after the product was invented in France. Jurgens competed for decades with the Van den Bergh family before the two merged into Margarine Unie in 1927.
CEOs and their tenures
Amgen
- George B. Rathmann1980–1988
Chief Executive Officer
George Rathmann, a physical chemist who had run research and development at Abbott Laboratories, was named Amgen's first chief executive in 1980 and worked from a small trailer so that laboratory space could go to scientists.
Source - Gordon M. Binder1988–2000
Chief Executive Officer
Gordon Binder joined Amgen as chief financial officer in 1982 and led its June 1983 initial public offering.
Source - Kevin W. Sharer2000–2012
Chief Executive Officer
Kevin Sharer joined Amgen in 1992 as president and chief operating officer and became chairman and chief executive in 2000.
Source - Robert A. Bradway2012–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Robert Bradway became chief executive on May 23, 2012, succeeding Kevin Sharer as the fourth CEO in Amgen's history, and added the chairmanship at the start of 2013.
Source
Unilever
- Alan Jope2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source - Hein Schumacher2023–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Schumacher reset Unilever around fewer, bigger brands and set up the Ice Cream demerger before stepping down in February 2025.
Source - Fernando Fernandez2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, the highly experienced Latin American executive enforces absolute financial discipline, attempting to restore investor confidence after years of sluggish stock performance.
Source
Timeline: Amgen and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1929Unilever
Unilever created
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.
1929Unilever
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
1980Amgen
Applied Molecular Genetics is incorporated
Applied Molecular Genetics (AMGen) was incorporated on April 8, 1980 in Thousand Oaks, California, as the idea of venture capitalist William K. Bowes Jr. and a group of scientific collaborators.
1983Amgen
Nasdaq listing and the erythropoietin clone
Amgen completed its initial public offering on June 17, 1983, raising nearly US$40 million under chief financial officer Gordon Binder, and formally shortened its name to Amgen.
1984Amgen
Kirin-Amgen joint venture formed
Amgen and Kirin Brewery Company of Japan formed Kirin-Amgen in 1984 as a joint venture for the worldwide commercialization of erythropoietin.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1985Amgen
G-CSF cloned, leading to Neupogen
While Fu-Kuen Lin's team worked on erythropoietin, researcher Larry Souza and his group cloned and expressed human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in 1985.
1989Amgen
FDA approves Epogen
The FDA approved Epogen (epoetin alfa) on June 1, 1989 for anemia in patients with chronic kidney failure on dialysis. It was the first commercial recombinant human erythropoietin. Epogen's U.S.
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1991Amgen
Neupogen approved, giving Amgen a second franchise
The FDA approved Neupogen (filgrastim) in February 1991. By stimulating white blood cell production it reduced the risk of infection in cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.
1991Amgen
Amgen wins the erythropoietin patent fight
On March 6, 1991 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the Kirin-Amgen erythropoietin patent and ruled against Genetics Institute in Amgen v. Chugai Pharmaceutical and Genetics Institute.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2001Amgen
FDA approves Aranesp, the longer-acting EPO
Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa), an erythropoietin analogue with modified glycosylation and a longer half-life, was approved in 2001. Less frequent dosing than Epogen improved convenience and gave Amgen a newer, higher-priced product to migrate patients toward.
2002Amgen
US$16 billion Immunex acquisition brings Enbrel in-house
Amgen completed its acquisition of Immunex Corporation on July 16, 2002, the largest biotechnology deal to that point at about US$16 billion in stock and cash.
2010Amgen
Prolia and XGEVA create the bone health franchise
The FDA approved Prolia (denosumab) for postmenopausal osteoporosis in June 2010 and XGEVA, the same molecule at a higher dose, for prevention of skeletal-related events in cancer patients in November 2010.
2019Amgen
US$13.4 billion purchase of Otezla from Celgene
Amgen agreed in August 2019 to buy worldwide rights to Otezla (apremilast) from Celgene for US$13.4 billion in cash, or about US$11.2 billion net of the present value of US$2.2 billion of anticipated future cash tax benefits, and closed on November 21, 2019.
2019Unilever
Alan Jope becomes CEO
Alan Jope became CEO of Unilever in 2019. Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
2020Amgen
Amgen joins the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Amgen replaced Pfizer in the Dow Jones Industrial Average on August 31, 2020, becoming one of the thirty components in the index. Inclusion recognized the scale Amgen had reached and added passive demand from Dow-tracking funds.
2020Unilever
Legal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
2020Unilever
Single Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
2023Amgen
US$27.8 billion Horizon Therapeutics acquisition closes
Amgen completed the acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics plc on October 6, 2023 for US$116.50 per share in cash, an equity value of about US$27.8 billion, after settling FTC litigation with a behavioral consent decree.
2024Amgen
Imdelltra becomes the first T-cell engager for small cell lung cancer
The FDA granted accelerated approval to tarlatamab, sold as Imdelltra, on May 16, 2024 for extensive stage small cell lung cancer that has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
2025Amgen
VESALIUS-CV extends the Repatha case to primary prevention
In November 2025 Amgen reported Phase 3 VESALIUS-CV results in more than 12,000 patients with atherosclerosis or diabetes but no prior heart attack or stroke.
2025Unilever
Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
2025Unilever
Ice Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
2026Amgen
Medicare price setting reaches Enbrel and Otezla
Enbrel's negotiated Medicare price under the Inflation Reduction Act took effect on January 1, 2026, after it was named in the first round of ten drugs selected for negotiation.
Acquisitions
Amgen
- Horizon Therapeutics plc2023$27.8B
- ChemoCentryx, Inc.2022$3.7B
- Five Prime Therapeutics2021$1.9B
- Celgene Otezla Business2019$13.4B
- Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2013$10.4B
- DeCODE Genetics2012$415M
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Amgen vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Amgen Inc. and Unilever PLC?
Amgen Inc. is led by Robert A. Bradway and Unilever PLC is led by Fernando Fernandez. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Amgen Inc. founded vs Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 51 years before Amgen Inc., which was founded in 1980. Unilever PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Amgen Inc..
How many employees does Amgen Inc. have compared to Unilever PLC?
Amgen Inc. employs approximately 31,500 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Unilever PLC has the larger workforce at 96,092 employees, compared to Amgen Inc.'s 31,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Amgen Inc. and Unilever PLC headquartered?
Amgen Inc. is headquartered in United States and Unilever PLC is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Amgen Inc. and Unilever PLC?
Amgen Inc. was founded by George B. Rathmann, William K. Bowes Jr.. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Amgen Inc. or Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Amgen Inc. has been in operation for around 46 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Amgen vs Unilever overview