Barclays vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Barclays was founded in 1690 by John Freame, Thomas Gould and is led by C.S. Venkatakrishnan. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Founders
Barclays
John Freame
The founding of Barclays is not a single event, but an aristocratic consolidation of historic Quaker banking families in the heart of London.
Thomas Gould
Thomas Gould (1663 to 1731) was a respected Quaker goldsmith and the indispensable co-founder of the partnership that laid the genesis of Barclays PLC.
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
Barclays
- John Varley2004–2011
Group Chief Executive
He retired in 2011 and Bob Diamond succeeded him.
Source - Bob Diamond2011–2012
Former Chief Executive Officer
Diamond, the architect of the 2008 Lehman Brothers acquisition, was the who built Barclays' top investment banking franchise into a global leader.
Source - Antony Jenkins2012–2015
Former Chief Executive Officer
Jenkins was tasked with the challenge of overhauling Barclays' toxic corporate culture in the aftermath of the LIBOR scandal.
Source - C.S. Venkatakrishnan2021–present
Chief Executive Officer
Venkatakrishnan, a former head of the bank's credit trading desk, assumed the CEO role during a period of intense macroeconomic headwinds and regulatory scrutiny.
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: Barclays and Unilever side by side
1690Barclays
Founding on Lombard Street
Quaker goldsmiths John Freame and Thomas Gould open their banking partnership on Lombard Street in the City of London, laying the foundational bedrock of modern commercial banking by issuing promissory notes and safeguarding merchant wealth.
1736Barclays
Adoption of the Barclays Name
James Barclay, the son-in-law of John Freame, is admitted to the partnership, and the firm officially adopts the Barclays name, setting the stage for its future dominance and expansion into financing the British industrial revolution.
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1896Barclays
Transition to a Joint-Stock Bank
In a cultural and legal shift for the conservative Quaker leadership, Barclays transitions from a private partnership with unlimited liability to a joint-stock company, allowing it to raise the capital required to expand its branch network across the UK.
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.
1960Barclays
International Expansion and Credit Cards
Barclays expands its international footprint, opening branches across Europe and the Americas, and becomes a pioneer in the UK consumer credit market by launching one of the first bank-issued credit cards, altering British consumer spending habits.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1986Barclays
The 'Big Bang' and Investment Banking
Following the deregulation of the London Stock Exchange, Barclays expands its securities trading and corporate advisory capabilities, transitioning from a traditional commercial bank into a strong player in the global capital markets.
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
2000Barclays
Acquisition of The Woolwich
Barclays acquires The Woolwich, the UK's second-largest building society, in a $5.7 billion deal, instantly cementing its dominance in the British mortgage market and significantly expanding its retail deposit base.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2008Barclays
The Lehman Brothers Acquisition
In a frantic weekend rescue during the height of the global financial crisis, Barclays acquires the North American operations of the collapsed Lehman Brothers, instantly transforming the bank into a global bulge-bracket investment bank.
2012Barclays
The LIBOR Manipulation Scandal
Barclays is hit with nearly $500 million in fines by global regulators for its role in manipulating the LIBOR benchmark interest rate, leading to the resignation of the CEO and Chairman and forcing a complete overhaul of the bank's compliance culture.
2017Barclays
Spin-off of African Operations
Barclays completes the demerger of its African retail banking operations into the independent Absa Group, retreating from emerging market retail banking to focus on its core UK and global corporate franchises.
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.
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.
2024Barclays
Sale of US Consumer Bank to Equifax
Barclays executes an effective strategic purification by selling its US consumer credit card portfolio to Equifax, shedding low-return, capital-intensive assets to focus on high-yielding corporate lending and top fixed-income trading.
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.
Acquisitions
Barclays
- ING Direct UK2012$1.2B
- Lehman Brothers North America2008$1.4B
- Absa Group (Majority Stake)2005$5.5B
- The Woolwich2000$8B
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Barclays vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Barclays PLC and Unilever PLC?
Barclays PLC is led by C.S. Venkatakrishnan 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 Barclays PLC founded vs Unilever PLC?
Barclays PLC was founded in 1690 — 239 years before Unilever PLC, which was founded in 1929. Barclays PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Unilever PLC.
How many employees does Barclays PLC have compared to Unilever PLC?
Barclays PLC employs approximately 83,000 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Unilever PLC has the larger workforce at 96,092 employees, compared to Barclays PLC's 83,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Barclays PLC and Unilever PLC headquartered?
Both Barclays PLC and Unilever PLC are headquartered in United Kingdom, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Barclays PLC and Unilever PLC?
Barclays PLC was founded by John Freame, Thomas Gould. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Barclays PLC or Unilever PLC?
Barclays PLC has been operating for approximately 336 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Unilever PLC has been in operation for around 97 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 Barclays vs Unilever overview