Hilton vs PepsiCo: Founders, CEOs and History
Hilton was founded in 1919 by Conrad Nicholson Hilton and is led by Christopher J. Nassetta. PepsiCo was founded in 1965 by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay and is led by Ramon Laguarta.
Company facts
Founders
Hilton
Conrad Nicholson Hilton
Hilton possesses a well-known, American founding story, rooted in the economic boom of the early Texas oil fields and the ambitious, optimistic vision of a single entrepreneur who essentially invented the modern concept of the global hotel chain.
PepsiCo
Caleb Bradham
Caleb Bradham created "Brad's Drink" at his New Bern pharmacy in 1898, renamed it Pepsi-Cola and incorporated the Pepsi-Cola Company in 1902.
Donald M. Kendall
Donald M. Kendall led Pepsi-Cola and engineered its 1965 merger with Frito-Lay to form PepsiCo, which he ran as CEO until 1986.
Herman W. Lay
Herman W. Lay (1909-1982) started his career as a snack food salesman. In 1932, he opened a snack food operation in Nashville, Tennessee, eventually purchasing the manufacturer and renaming it H.W. Lay & Company.
CEOs and their tenures
Hilton
- Barron Hilton1966–1996
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Barron Hilton proved to be an effective, capable successor who navigated the company through cultural and economic shifts.
Source - Stephen Bollenbach1996–2007
Former Chief Executive Officer
Bollenbach modernized Hilton's archaic financial structures and accelerated its growth trajectory.
Source - Christopher J. Nassetta2007–present
Chief Executive Officer
Nassetta navigated Hilton through the devastating Global Financial Crisis and the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source
PepsiCo
- D. Wayne Calloway1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
He more than doubled PepsiCo's revenues during his tenure and heavily invested in the restaurant division before it was later spun off.
Source - Roger Enrico1996–2001
Chief Executive Officer
He dramatically simplified the company's structure, allowing it to focus resources on its core grocery and convenience store distribution networks.
Source - Steven Reinemund2001–2006
Chief Executive Officer
He oversaw significant international expansion and revenue growth, setting a strong operational foundation before handing leadership to Nooyi.
Source - Indra Nooyi2006–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Under her 12-year tenure as CEO, PepsiCo's revenue grew by more than 80%, and she fundamentally reshaped the company's identity from a junk-food purveyor to a diversified global food and beverage giant.
Source - Ramon Laguarta2018–present
Chairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer
He sustained strong organic revenue growth and protected operating margins through historically challenging supply chain conditions, while committing the company to major sustainability and packaging reduction goals.
Source
Timeline: Hilton and PepsiCo side by side
1898PepsiCo
Pepsi-Cola Invented in North Carolina
Caleb Bradham formulated the original digestive cola syrup in his drugstore.
1919Hilton
Founding - Mobley Hotel Purchase
Conrad Hilton purchases the Mobley Hotel in Cisco, Texas for $40,000, marking the formal founding of what will become Hilton Worldwide Holdings. The purchase was unplanned; Conrad had originally traveled to Cisco to buy a bank.
1925Hilton
First Purpose-Built Hilton Hotel
Conrad opens the first hotel built from the ground up bearing the Hilton name in Dallas, Texas, marking a transition from acquiring existing properties to developing new ones and formalizing the Hilton brand identity.
1943Hilton
Acquisition of the Stevens Hotel, Chicago
Hilton acquires the Stevens Hotel in Chicago - then the world's largest hotel with over 3,000 rooms - transforming the company from a regional Texas operator into a nationally recognized lodging company.
1946Hilton
Hilton Hotels Corporation Goes Public
Hilton Hotels Corporation lists on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming one of the first major hotel companies to access public capital markets and establishing a financial structure that would fund the company's continued national expansion.
1949Hilton
Waldorf Astoria Acquisition and International Debut
Conrad Hilton acquires the well-known Waldorf Astoria in New York City and opens the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico - the company's first international property. Both transactions cement Hilton's status as a premier global luxury brand.
1964Hilton
International Division Spun Off
Hilton Hotels Corporation and Hilton International are formally separated, with the international operations becoming an independent company. This bifurcation persisted for decades and would eventually be reversed through acquisition in the 2000s.
1965PepsiCo
Historic Merger of Pepsi-Cola & Frito-Lay
Donald Kendall and Herman Lay created PepsiCo, uniting snacks and soft drinks.
1975PepsiCo
Launch of the Pepsi Challenge
National blind taste tests shook Coca-Cola's market dominance and redefined advertising.
1997PepsiCo
Restaurant Business Spun Off
PepsiCo spun off its restaurant businesses (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and KFC) as Tricon Global Restaurants, now Yum! Brands, in 1997.
1998PepsiCo
Acquisition of Tropicana ($3.3B)
Acquired chilled orange juice leader Tropicana to dominate morning beverages.
1999Hilton
Acquisition of Promus Hotel Corporation
Hilton acquires Promus Hotel Corporation for approximately $3.7 billion, adding the Hampton Inn, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, and Homewood Suites brands to its portfolio - transforming Hilton into a multi-brand lodging company and expanding its focused-service…
2001PepsiCo
Acquisition of Quaker Oats & Gatorade ($13.4B)
Acquired Quaker Oats, adding sports hydration pioneer Gatorade to the portfolio.
2006PepsiCo
Indra Nooyi becomes CEO
Indra Nooyi became CEO of PepsiCo in 2006. Chief executive of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018.
2007Hilton
Blackstone Group Leveraged Buyout
Blackstone Group acquires Hilton Hotels Corporation in a leveraged buyout valued at approximately $26 billion - the largest hotel acquisition in history at the time. Christopher Nassetta is installed as CEO.
2011PepsiCo
Wimm-Bill-Dann Acquired
PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann in 2011.
2013Hilton
NYSE Relisting - Largest Hospitality IPO in History
Hilton Worldwide Holdings relists on the New York Stock Exchange in December 2013, raising approximately $2.35 billion in what was then the largest IPO in the history of the hospitality industry. The listing valued Hilton at approximately $19.7 billion.
2017Hilton
Spinoff of Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations
Hilton completes the spinoff of Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations as separately traded public companies, completing its transition to a fully asset-light franchise and management fee model and returning significant real estate value to sharehold…
2018PepsiCo
Acquisition of SodaStream ($3.2B) & Ramon Laguarta Appointed CEO
Acquired SodaStream to pioneer eco-friendly dispensing; Ramon Laguarta took over as CEO.
2020Hilton
COVID-19 Pandemic - Deepest Revenue Shock in Company History
The COVID-19 pandemic causes system-wide Revenue Per Available Room to fall approximately 57% as global travel shuts down.
2022PepsiCo
Strategic Distribution Alliance with Celsius ($550M)
Secured master global distribution for fast-growing energy brand Celsius.
2024Hilton
Revenue Reaches $11.2 Billion, Pipeline Exceeds 500,000 Rooms
Hilton reports fiscal year 2024 revenues of approximately $11.2 billion and adjusted EBITDA of approximately $3.3 billion, with the Hilton Honors program surpassing 190 million members and the global development pipeline exceeding 500,000 rooms under developme…
2025Hilton
9,000th Hotel and Record Openings
Hilton opened about 97,000 rooms, passed 9,000 hotels, entered markets including Tanzania, Rwanda, and Pakistan, and returned $3.3 billion to shareholders.
2025PepsiCo
poppi Acquisition and Elliott-Backed Plan
Closed the $1.95 billion poppi deal and announced a North America cost and pricing reset in December.
2026PepsiCo
Price Cuts on Core Snacks
Lowered prices on major Frito-Lay brands by up to 15% to recover US volumes.
Acquisitions
Hilton
- Graduate Hotels (brand)2024$210M
- NoMad Hotels (partnership with Sydell Group)2024Undisclosed
- Hilton International (from Ladbroke Group)2006$5.7B
- Promus Hotel Corporation1999$3.7B
PepsiCo
- poppi2025$1.9B
- SodaStream International2018$3.2B
- The Quaker Oats Company (including Gatorade)2001$13.4B
- Tropicana Products1998$3.3B
Questions about Hilton vs PepsiCo
Who is the CEO of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc.?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. is led by Christopher J. Nassetta and PepsiCo, Inc. is led by Ramon Laguarta. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. founded vs PepsiCo, Inc.?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. was founded in 1919 — 46 years before PepsiCo, Inc., which was founded in 1965. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger PepsiCo, Inc..
How many employees does Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. have compared to PepsiCo, Inc.?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. employs approximately 182,000 people, while PepsiCo, Inc. employs approximately 306,000. PepsiCo, Inc. has the larger workforce at 306,000 employees, compared to Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s 182,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc. headquartered?
Both Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. and PepsiCo, Inc.?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. was founded by Conrad Nicholson Hilton. PepsiCo, Inc. was founded by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay.
Which company has a longer operating history — Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. or PepsiCo, Inc.?
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has been operating for approximately 107 years, making it the more established of the two companies. PepsiCo, Inc. has been in operation for around 61 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 Hilton vs PepsiCo overview