BP vs Pfizer: Founders, CEOs and History
BP was founded in 1909 by William Knox D'Arcy, Charles Greenway and is led by Meg O'Neill. Pfizer was founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart and is led by Albert Bourla.
Company facts
Founders
BP
William Knox D'Arcy
William Knox D'Arcy (1849-1917) financed the search that created BP. In 1901 he obtained a 60-year concession from the Shah of Persia to explore for and produce oil across about three-quarters of the country, paying £20,000 in cash, £20,000 in shares and 16% o…
Charles Greenway
Charles Greenway (1857-1934) was not among the 1909 incorporators but became the executive who turned Anglo-Persian into a working oil company.
Pfizer
Charles Pfizer
Pfizer possesses a historic, immigrant founding story, rooted entirely in the rapid industrial expansion of 19th-century Brooklyn and defined by an effective, intensely meticulous German chemist and his ambitious confectioner cousin.
Charles Erhart
Charles Erhart's role in Pfizer's founding is less celebrated than his cousin's, partly because the company carries Charles Pfizer's name and partly because his commercial contributions were less visible than the scientific achievements that drove the company'…
CEOs and their tenures
BP
- Sir John Browne1995–2007
Chief Executive Officer (former)
John Browne (later Lord Browne of Madingley) turned BP into a global supermajor through the acquisitions of Amoco (1998), ARCO (2000) and Burmah Castrol (2000).
Source - Tony Hayward2007–2010
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Tony Hayward, a geologist who joined BP in 1982 and ran its exploration and production business, succeeded John Browne in May 2007 and promised to fix BP's safety culture after Texas City.
Source - Bob Dudley2010–2020
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Bob Dudley, an American who began his career at Amoco and previously ran the TNK-BP joint venture in Russia, was BP's first American CEO, serving from October 2010 to February 2020.
Source - Bernard Looney2020–2023
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Bernard Looney's three-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO was defined by the most ambitious energy transition strategy ever articulated by a major oil company and ended in its most dramatic leadership dismissal.
Source - Murray Auchincloss2024–2025
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Murray Auchincloss, a Canadian who joined Amoco in 1992 and became BP's CFO in 2020, was interim CEO after Bernard Looney's September 2023 exit and permanent CEO from January 2024.
Source - Carol Howle2025–2026
Interim Chief Executive Officer (former)
Carol Howle, BP's executive vice president for supply, trading and shipping, served as interim CEO from December 2025, when Murray Auchincloss stepped down, until Meg O'Neill joined on April 1, 2026.
Source - Meg O'Neill2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Meg O'Neill, an American engineer who spent more than two decades at ExxonMobil and ran Australia's Woodside Energy from 2021, became BP's chief executive on April 1, 2026, the first woman to lead the company.
Source
Pfizer
- Ian Read2010–2018
Chief Executive Officer
He ruthlessly cut R&D spending and eliminated tens of thousands of jobs, significantly boosting short-term earnings per share despite massive patent cliffs for blockbuster drugs like Lipitor.
Source - Albert Bourla2019–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
A veterinarian by training who joined Pfizer Animal Health in 1993, Bourla became CEO on January 1, 2019 and Chairman in 2020.
Source - Dave Denton2022–2026
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he aggressively restructured the balance sheet following the Seagen acquisition, prioritizing debt reduction while defending the dividend.
Source - Chris Boshoff2025–present
Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development
He completely restructured the research and development organization to focus on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), aggressively expanding Pfizer's pipeline of cancer therapeutics.
Source - Cecile Guegan2026–present
Interim Chief Financial Officer
She modernized the company's internal auditing and compliance structures, ensuring rapid but safe clinical execution for high-priority vaccine programs.
Source
Timeline: BP and Pfizer side by side
1849Pfizer
Pfizer Founded
Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart founded the company in Brooklyn.
1901BP
D'Arcy Persian Concession
William Knox D'Arcy obtains a 60-year oil concession from the Shah of Persia covering about 480,000 square miles, roughly three-quarters of the country, in exchange for £20,000 in cash, £20,000 in shares and 16% of annual profits.
1908BP
Discovery of Oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman
After seven years of expensive and largely unsuccessful drilling, field manager George Reynolds strikes oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman in south-west Persia on May 26, 1908. It is the first commercial oil discovery in the Middle East.
1909BP
Anglo-Persian Oil Company Incorporated
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company is formally incorporated in April 1909, with William Knox D'Arcy and the Burmah Oil Company as principal backers.
1914BP
British Government Acquires 51% Stake
At the urging of Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, the British government pays ~$2.9 million (£2.2 million) for a 51% stake in Anglo-Persian and signs a long-term fuel-oil supply contract for the Royal Navy, which is converting its fleet from coa…
1944Pfizer
Penicillin Scale-Up
Pfizer helped industrialize penicillin production during World War II.
1954BP
Renamed British Petroleum
Following the 1953 resolution of the Iranian nationalization crisis and the Shah's restoration to power, the company renames itself British Petroleum Company.
1970BP
North Sea Forties Field Discovery
BP discovers the Forties field in the UK North Sea, one of the largest oil fields ever found in British waters. Together with Alaska's Prudhoe Bay, it gives BP politically secure production just as Middle Eastern governments take control of their oil.
1987BP
UK Government Privatization Complete
The Thatcher government completes the privatization of its remaining 31.5% stake in BP through a global share offering timed for October 1987 weeks before the global stock market crash known as Black Monday disrupted the sale and left underwriters with unsold…
1998BP
Merger with Amoco Corporation
BP merges with Chicago-based Amoco Corporation in a deal valued at approximately $48.2 billion the largest industrial merger in history at the time.
1998Pfizer
Viagra Approved
The FDA approved Viagra in 1998.
2000BP
Beyond Petroleum Rebrand
Under then-CEO Sir John Browne, BP launches the 'Beyond Petroleum' rebranding campaign, introducing the sunflower logo still in use today and publicly positioning the company as an energy company committed to addressing climate change.
2000Pfizer
Warner-Lambert Deal
Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert, adding Lipitor.
2010BP
Deepwater Horizon Disaster
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, operating on the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico under contract to BP, suffers a catastrophic blowout on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the largest marine oil spill in US history approximately 4.9 milli…
2019Pfizer
Albert Bourla becomes CEO
Albert Bourla became CEO of Pfizer in 2019. A veterinarian by training who joined Pfizer Animal Health in 1993, Bourla became CEO on January 1, 2019 and Chairman in 2020.
2020BP
Net-Zero Commitment and Dividend Cut
Under new CEO Bernard Looney, BP sets a net-zero ambition for 2050 and, in August 2020, pledges to cut oil and gas production by 40% by 2030 and raise low-carbon investment to about $5 billion a year.
2020Pfizer
BioNTech COVID Vaccine Partnership
Pfizer and BioNTech brought Comirnaty through emergency authorization.
2023Pfizer
Seagen Acquisition
Pfizer completed the $43 billion Seagen acquisition.
2024BP
Auchincloss Confirmed as CEO
Murray Auchincloss, BP's CFO since 2020 and interim chief since Bernard Looney's September 2023 exit, is confirmed as permanent CEO in January 2024.
2025BP
Strategy Reset and Bumerangue Discovery
In February 2025 BP cuts planned transition investment to $1.5-2 billion a year, raises upstream spending to about $10 billion a year and targets $20 billion of divestments and $14-18 billion of net debt by 2027.
2025BP
CEO Change and Castrol Sale Agreed
On December 17, 2025 BP says Murray Auchincloss will step down and names Woodside Energy CEO Meg O'Neill as his successor from April 2026, with Carol Howle as interim CEO.
2025Pfizer
Chris Boshoff Becomes CSO
Chris Boshoff became Chief Scientific Officer and President, Research & Development effective January 1, 2025.
2025Pfizer
Metsera Acquisition
Pfizer completed its acquisition of obesity drug developer Metsera in November 2025 for up to about $10 billion including CVRs.
2025Pfizer
FY2025 Revenue Base
Pfizer reported $62.579 billion of FY2025 revenue.
2026BP
O'Neill Takes Over and Simplifies BP
Meg O'Neill becomes CEO on April 1, 2026. The board removes chair Albert Manifold on May 26 over governance and conduct concerns and names Ian Tyler interim chair, confirming him as permanent chair on September 2.
2026Pfizer
Innovent Oncology Collaboration
Pfizer signed a 12-program cancer collaboration with Innovent Biologics: $650 million upfront and up to $9.85 billion in milestones.
Acquisitions
BP
- TravelCenters of America2023$1.3B
- Archaea Energy2022$4.1B
- Lightsource Renewable Energy (43% stake, later 100%)2017$200M
- ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company)2000$27B
- Castrol Limited2000$4.7B
- Amoco Corporation1998$48.2B
Pfizer
- Metsera, Inc.2025$7B
- Seagen Inc.2023$43B
- Medivation Inc.2016$14B
- Wyeth2009$68B
- Pharmacia Corporation2003$60B
- Warner-Lambert Company2000$111B
Questions about BP vs Pfizer
Who is the CEO of BP plc and Pfizer Inc.?
BP plc is led by Meg O'Neill and Pfizer Inc. is led by Albert Bourla. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was BP plc founded vs Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. was founded in 1849 — 60 years before BP plc, which was founded in 1909. Pfizer Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger BP plc.
How many employees does BP plc have compared to Pfizer Inc.?
BP plc employs approximately 93,700 people, while Pfizer Inc. employs approximately 75,000. BP plc has the larger workforce at 93,700 employees, compared to Pfizer Inc.'s 75,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are BP plc and Pfizer Inc. headquartered?
BP plc is headquartered in United Kingdom and Pfizer Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded BP plc and Pfizer Inc.?
BP plc was founded by William Knox D'Arcy, Charles Greenway. Pfizer Inc. was founded by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart.
Which company has a longer operating history — BP plc or Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. has been operating for approximately 177 years, making it the more established of the two companies. BP plc has been in operation for around 117 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 BP vs Pfizer overview