AT&T vs Canon: Founders, CEOs and History
AT&T was founded in 1885 by Alexander Graham Bell, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, Thomas Sanders and is led by John Stankey. Canon was founded in 1937 by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and is led by Fujio Mitarai.
Company facts
Founders
AT&T
Alexander Graham Bell
AT&T possesses the most influential founding mythology in the history of global communications. The company's origin is directly tied to the single most important invention of the 19th century: the telephone.
Gardiner Greene Hubbard
Gardiner Greene Hubbard gave the early Bell enterprise its business spine. He helped finance Bell's experiments, organized the commercial structure around the telephone patents, served as the first president of the Bell Telephone Company, and pushed the invent…
Thomas Sanders
Thomas Sanders helped turn the telephone from a laboratory promise into a fundable business opportunity. By backing Bell's experiments, he accepted the risk that voice transmission might remain a novelty or be crushed by stronger incumbents.
Canon
Takeshi Mitarai
Takeshi Mitarai supported the camera laboratory that Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda opened in 1933, and became president of its successor, Precision Optical Industry, Co., Ltd., in 1942.
Goro Yoshida
Yoshida took apart a Leica Model II and, as he later recalled, was angered to find it was built from brass, aluminium, iron and rubber yet sold for 420 yen.
Saburo Uchida
Saburo Uchida (1899-1982) co-founded the Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory with Goro Yoshida, his brother-in-law, and Takeo Maeda in November 1933.
Takeo Maeda
Takeo Maeda (1909-1977) was the youngest of the founding group. A former subordinate of Saburo Uchida, he joined Uchida and Goro Yoshida in opening the Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory in Roppongi in November 1933 and worked on the Kwanon prototype and…
CEOs and their tenures
AT&T
- Theodore N. Vail1885–1887
President (CEO)
Vail built his reputation running the US Railway Mail Service, becoming its general superintendent in 1876 and modernizing its logistics, before Bell Telephone recruited him in 1878 as general manager specifically because of that operational expertise.
Source - Edward Whitacre Jr.1990–2007
CEO
Whitacre earned an industrial-engineering degree from Texas Tech University in 1964 and joined Southwestern Bell that same year as a facility engineer in Lubbock, Texas, spending his entire four-decade career at the company and its successors.
Source - Randall L. Stephenson2007–2020
CEO
Stephenson earned an accounting degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master's in accountancy from the University of Oklahoma before joining Southwestern Bell in 1982, rising through finance roles including CFO before becoming AT&T's COO under W…
Source - John T. Stankey2020–present
CEO
Stankey earned a finance degree from Loyola Marymount University in 1985 and an MBA from UCLA in 1991, then spent his entire career at Pacific Bell, SBC, and AT&T, rising through operations and technology roles before running AT&T's entertainment group during…
Source
Canon
- Takeshi Mitarai1942–1974
President
An obstetrician who backed the 1933 camera laboratory, he became president of Precision Optical Industry in 1942 and led the company as it became Canon Camera Co. in 1947, listed in Tokyo in 1949 and opened sales offices in New York and Geneva in the 1950s.
Source - Ryuzaburo Kaku1977–1989
President, later Chairman
As President, he aggressively challenged Xerox's monopoly in the copier market by introducing affordable, personal laser printers and copiers.
Source - Fujio Mitarai1995–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Born in 1935 and a nephew of Takeshi Mitarai, he joined Canon in 1961, ran Canon U.S.A. as president from 1979 to 1989 and became president of Canon Inc. in 1995.
Source - Tsuneji Uchida2006–2012
President and Chief Operating Officer
During his tenure as President, he maintained strong profitability through strict cost-cutting measures despite the brutal collapse of the digital compact camera market.
Source - Masaya Maeda2016–2020
President and Chief Operating Officer
He led the Image Communication Products group during the height of the DSLR era, cementing Canon's position as the global market leader in interchangeable lens cameras.
Source - Kazuto Ogawa2026–present
President and Chief Operating Officer
Joined Canon in 1981 and led Canon Singapore (2005), Canon Canada (2008) and Canon U.S.A. as President and COO (2018).
Source
Timeline: AT&T and Canon side by side
1885AT&T
AT&T Founded as the Bell System Long-Distance Arm
American Telephone and Telegraph was incorporated in 1885 to build and operate long-distance telephone lines for the Bell system.
1913AT&T
Kingsbury Commitment
The Kingsbury Commitment settled a major antitrust threat. AT&T agreed to divest its Western Union holdings, connect independent telephone companies to its long-distance network and seek approval for further acquisitions.
1925AT&T
Bell Telephone Laboratories Founded
AT&T and Western Electric consolidated their research into Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1925.
1933Canon
Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory opens
Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida and Takeo Maeda open a camera laboratory in a Roppongi apartment in Tokyo to build a Japanese 35mm camera that could rival the Leica.
1934Canon
Kwanon prototype
Yoshida builds the Kwanon, Japan's first 35mm focal-plane-shutter camera prototype, named after the Buddhist goddess of mercy. It never goes on sale.
1936Canon
Hansa Canon goes on sale
The lab's first commercial camera, the Hansa Canon, uses a Nikkor lens and rangefinder supplied by Nippon Kogaku, the predecessor of Nikon. The 'Canon' trademark had been filed in 1935.
1937Canon
Precision Optical Industry incorporated
The business is incorporated on August 10, 1937 as Precision Optical Industry, Co., Ltd. Takeshi Mitarai becomes president in 1942.
1949Canon
Tokyo Stock Exchange listing
Canon Camera Co. (renamed in 1947) lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange when postwar trading resumes, and opens a New York branch in 1955.
1964Canon
Canola 130 calculator
Canon moves beyond cameras with the Canola 130 desktop electronic calculator, followed in 1970 by Japan's first plain-paper copier, the NP-1100, and its first semiconductor lithography tool, the PPC-1.
1969Canon
Renamed Canon Inc.
Canon Camera Co. changes its name to Canon Inc. to reflect a product range that now spans business machines as well as cameras.
1984AT&T
Bell System Breakup Takes Effect
Divestiture took effect on January 1, 1984 under the 1982 consent decree. AT&T gave up the local exchange operations that had produced most of its revenue, which became seven regional Bell operating companies, and kept long distance, Western Electric and Bell…
1987Canon
EOS system launches
Canon launches the EOS 650 and the all-electronic EF lens mount, the base of its autofocus SLR and later digital SLR lines.
1995Canon
Fujio Mitarai becomes president
Fujio Mitarai takes over as president, exits personal computers and other loss-making lines, and in 1996 starts the Excellent Global Corporation Plan.
2003Canon
Start of No. 1 camera share run
Canon takes the No. 1 share of the global interchangeable-lens digital camera market, a position it has held every year through 2025.
2005AT&T
SBC Acquires AT&T Corporation and Takes the Name
SBC Communications, one of the regional companies created by the 1984 breakup, acquired AT&T Corporation in 2005 for about $16 billion and adopted the AT&T name.
2007AT&T
Exclusive US iPhone Launch Carrier
AT&T, then operating wireless under the Cingular brand, was the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple's first iPhone in 2007.
2015AT&T
DirecTV Acquisition Completed
AT&T completed the DirecTV purchase on July 24, 2015 for $48.5 billion, about $67 billion including assumed debt, betting that satellite video would reinforce telecom relationships.
2016Canon
Toshiba Medical acquisition
Canon completes the ¥665.5 billion (about $5.9 billion) purchase of Toshiba Medical Systems in December 2016, later renamed Canon Medical Systems.
2018AT&T
Time Warner Acquisition Completed
AT&T completed the $85.4 billion Time Warner purchase on June 14, 2018, two days after a federal judge rejected the Justice Department challenge. The deal brought HBO, Warner Bros.
2018Canon
EOS R mirrorless system
Canon launches the full-frame EOS R mirrorless system and RF lens mount.
2020AT&T
John T. Stankey Becomes CEO
John T. Stankey became chief executive on July 1, 2020, inheriting high debt, a media portfolio under pressure and a shifting broadband market.
2022AT&T
WarnerMedia Separated and Merged with Discovery
AT&T separated WarnerMedia in April 2022 and combined it with Discovery to create Warner Bros. Discovery, receiving cash and debt relief of about $40.4 billion.
2023AT&T
$14 Billion Open RAN Contract with Ericsson
In December 2023 AT&T committed roughly $14 billion over five years to Ericsson to deploy commercial-scale open radio access network equipment, with a target of carrying 70% of its wireless traffic on open-capable platforms by late 2026.
2023Canon
Nanoimprint lithography launch
Canon releases the FPA-1200NZ2C nanoimprint lithography system in October 2023, able to pattern 14 nm lines, and delists its ADRs from the New York Stock Exchange in March.
2024Canon
First NIL shipment and medical impairment
Canon ships its first nanoimprint system to the Texas Institute for Electronics on September 26, 2024, and books a ~$1.11 billion (¥165.1 billion) goodwill impairment on its medical business for the year.
2025AT&T
DIRECTV Exit Completed
AT&T closed the sale of its entire remaining 70% DIRECTV stake to TPG on July 2, 2025, recording a $5.6 billion gain.
2025AT&T
Fiber Network Passes 30 Million Locations
AT&T said in October 2025 that its fiber network had passed more than 30 million consumer and business locations, ahead of its own schedule, and finished the year at 32.0 million.
2025Canon
Record net sales of ~$31 billion (¥4,624.7 billion)
Canon reports record 2025 net sales of ~$31 billion (¥4,624.7 billion) and net income attributable to Canon Inc. of ~$2.23 billion (¥332.1 billion).
2026AT&T
Lumen Fiber and EchoStar Spectrum Deals Close
AT&T completed two large network purchases in 2026. In February it closed the $5.75 billion acquisition of Lumen's mass markets fiber business, adding more than 1 million subscribers and more than 4 million fiber locations in eleven states.
2026Canon
Phase VII plan and new president
Canon unveils its 2026-2030 Phase VII plan, merges Canon Medical's operations into Canon Inc. on April 1, and appoints Kazuto Ogawa President and COO on March 27 while Fujio Mitarai stays Chairman and CEO.
Acquisitions
AT&T
- Lumen Mass Markets Fiber Business2026$5.8B
- Time Warner2018$85.4B
- DirecTV2015$48.5B
- BellSouth2006$86B
- AT&T Corporation2005$16B
Canon
- Canon Electronics (minority shares)2026Undisclosed
- Redlen Technologies2021$335M
- BriefCam2018Undisclosed
- Kite2017Undisclosed
- Toshiba Medical Systems2016$5.9B
- Axis Communications2015$2.8B
Questions about AT&T vs Canon
Who is the CEO of AT&T Inc. and Canon Inc.?
AT&T Inc. is led by John Stankey and Canon Inc. is led by Fujio Mitarai. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was AT&T Inc. founded vs Canon Inc.?
AT&T Inc. was founded in 1885 — 52 years before Canon Inc., which was founded in 1937. AT&T Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Canon Inc..
How many employees does AT&T Inc. have compared to Canon Inc.?
AT&T Inc. employs approximately 133,030 people, while Canon Inc. employs approximately 165,547. Canon Inc. has the larger workforce at 165,547 employees, compared to AT&T Inc.'s 133,030. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are AT&T Inc. and Canon Inc. headquartered?
AT&T Inc. is headquartered in United States and Canon Inc. is headquartered in Japan. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded AT&T Inc. and Canon Inc.?
AT&T Inc. was founded by Alexander Graham Bell, Gardiner Greene Hubbard, Thomas Sanders. Canon Inc. was founded by Takeshi Mitarai, Goro Yoshida, Saburo Uchida, Takeo Maeda.
Which company has a longer operating history — AT&T Inc. or Canon Inc.?
AT&T Inc. has been operating for approximately 141 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Canon Inc. has been in operation for around 89 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 AT&T vs Canon overview