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McDonald's vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History

McDonald's was founded in 1940 by Maurice James McDonald, Richard James McDonald, Ray Kroc and is led by Chris Kempczinski. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.

Company facts

McDonald's

Founded
1940
Headquarters
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Current CEO
Chris Kempczinski
Employees
150,000

Unilever

Founded
1929
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Current CEO
Fernando Fernandez
Employees
96,092

Founders

McDonald's

  • Maurice James McDonald

    Maurice "Mac" McDonald co-founded McDonald's with his brother Richard in 1940, opening a barbecue drive-in in San Bernardino, California.

  • Richard James McDonald

    Richard McDonald co-founded McDonald's and played a leading role in the 1948 redesign that turned a local drive-in into the template for modern fast food.

  • Ray Kroc

    Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and built the franchising organization that made the brand famous far beyond California.

McDonald's founders in full

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.

Unilever founders in full

CEOs and their tenures

McDonald's

  1. Ray Kroc1967–1973

    CEO

    Under Kroc's executive leadership, McDonald's scaled from a regional drive-in licensing experiment into an international enterprise with over 2,500 locations and $1 billion in annual systemwide sales by the end of his CEO tenure in 1973.

    Source
  2. Fred Turner1974–1987

    CEO

    Turner expanded McDonald's from roughly 2,500 restaurants in 1974 to over 10,000 across 45 countries by 1987, multiplying systemwide sales from $1.9 billion to over $14 billion.

    Source
  3. Michael R. Quinlan1987–1998

    CEO

    During Quinlan's 11-year CEO tenure, McDonald's expanded from approximately 10,000 to over 24,000 restaurants globally, and annual systemwide sales rose from $14.3 billion in 1987 to $36 billion in 1998.

    Source
  4. Jack M. Greenberg1998–2002

    CEO

    Greenberg pushed global restaurant count past 30,000, but rapid store expansion cannibalized existing franchisees and kitchen complexity slowed drive-thru service.

    Source
  5. James R. Cantalupo2003–2004

    CEO

    Under Cantalupo's leadership, McDonald's launched the global 'I'm Lovin' It' campaign and introduced premium salads, driving 11 consecutive months of positive same-store sales growth.

    Source
  6. Charlie Bell2004–2004

    CEO

    During Bell's seven-month tenure, McDonald's generated 7.5% global comparable sales growth in 2004, its strongest operational performance in over a decade.

    Source
  7. Jim Skinner2004–2012

    CEO

    Skinner generated roughly 250% total shareholder returns between 2004 and 2012. Annual systemwide sales expanded from $46 billion to $86 billion, McCafé was rolled out internationally, and the company completed the complete divestiture of Chipotle, Boston Mark…

    Source
  8. Don Thompson2012–2015

    CEO

    Rapid menu proliferation complicated kitchen operations and pushed drive-thru wait times to historical highs.

    Source
  9. Steve Easterbrook2015–2019

    CEO

    Easterbrook refranchised over 4,000 company-owned locations to lift franchised ownership from 81% to approximately 93%, expanding operating margin from 29% to 43%.

    Source
  10. Chris Kempczinski2019–present

    CEO

    Since becoming CEO in November 2019, Kempczinski executed the 'Accelerating the Arches' framework, growing FY2025 consolidated revenue to $26.885 billion and net income to $8.563 billion.

    Source
McDonald's CEO history in full

Unilever

  1. Alan Jope2019–2023

    Chief Executive Officer

    Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.

    Source
  2. 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
  3. 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
Unilever CEO history in full

Timeline: McDonald's and Unilever side by side

  1. 1884Unilever

    Lever soap factory opens

    William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.

  2. 1929Unilever

    Unilever created

    Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.

  3. 1929Unilever

    Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge

    Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.

  4. 1940McDonald's

    First McDonald's Opens in San Bernardino

    Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's restaurant on May 15, 1940 in San Bernardino, California. The original drive-in gave the brothers a live operating laboratory before they stripped the model down to a faster, lower-cost menu.

  5. 1948McDonald's

    Speedee Service System Introduced

    The brothers simplified operations in 1948 around 15-cent hamburgers, shakes, and fries.

  6. 1955McDonald's

    Ray Kroc Opens Des Plaines Restaurant

    Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955 after becoming the brothers' franchise agent. That restaurant became the base for converting a California operating idea into a national franchise system.

  7. 1961McDonald's

    Hamburger University Opens

    Hamburger University opened in the basement of an Elk Grove Village, Illinois restaurant in 1961. The training program mattered because it formalized the standards and operating routines that franchisees needed to deliver a consistent experience.

  8. 1961McDonald's

    Kroc Buys the Brothers' Company

    McDonald's says it acquired the rights to the brothers' company in 1961 for $2.7 million. The deal gave Kroc control of the name and system, setting up the real estate-backed franchise model that later defined parent-company economics.

  9. 1968McDonald's

    Big Mac Added to National Menu

    The Big Mac, developed by owner-operator Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh, was added to the national menu in 1968. It became a durable core product and a recognizable signal of the company's ability to turn franchisee ideas into systemwide menu platforms.

  10. 1975McDonald's

    Egg McMuffin Builds Breakfast

    The Egg McMuffin, created by owner-operator Herb Peterson of Santa Barbara, California, was added to the national menu in 1975. It helped turn breakfast into a major daypart rather than leaving the restaurants dependent on lunch and dinner traffic.

  11. 1984Unilever

    Acquired Brooke Bond

    Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).

  12. 1989Unilever

    Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics

    Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.

  13. 1993Unilever

    Acquired Breyers

    Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.

  14. 2000Unilever

    Acquired Maille

    Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.

  15. 2003McDonald's

    I'm Lovin' It Campaign Launches

    McDonald's launched its global "I'm lovin' it" marketing campaign in 2003, its first worldwide brand campaign.

  16. 2017McDonald's

    Global McDelivery Day with UberEATS

    McDonald's marked Global McDelivery Day in 2017 to support the broader launch of McDelivery with UberEATS. Delivery expanded restaurant reach beyond the counter and drive-thru, while also adding packaging, marketplace-fee, and kitchen-throughput challenges.

  17. 2019McDonald's

    Dynamic Yield Acquisition

    McDonald's agreed to acquire Dynamic Yield in 2019 to personalize drive-thru menu boards, kiosks, and app experiences using signals such as time of day, weather, restaurant traffic, and trending items.

  18. 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.

  19. 2020Unilever

    Legal structure unified

    Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.

  20. 2020Unilever

    Single Parent Company

    Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.

  21. 2024McDonald's

    Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak

    U.S. Public health agencies linked a 2024 E. Coli outbreak to slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounders in affected states.

  22. 2025McDonald's

    $26.9B FY2025 Revenue

    McDonald's reported $26.885 billion in FY2025 revenue and $8.563 billion in net income.

  23. 2025Unilever

    Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO

    Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.

  24. 2025Unilever

    Ice Cream demerger reflected

    Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.

Acquisitions

McDonald's

  • Dynamic Yield2019$300M
  • Apprente2019Undisclosed
  • Boston Market2000$173.5M
  • Donatos Pizza1999Undisclosed
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill stake1998Undisclosed
All McDonald's acquisitions

Unilever

  • Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
  • Wild2025Undisclosed
  • Minimalist2025Undisclosed
  • Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
  • Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
  • Weis2017Undisclosed
All Unilever acquisitions

Questions about McDonald's vs Unilever

Who is the CEO of McDonald's Corporation and Unilever PLC?

McDonald's Corporation is led by Chris Kempczinski 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 McDonald's Corporation founded vs Unilever PLC?

Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 11 years before McDonald's Corporation, which was founded in 1940. Unilever PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger McDonald's Corporation.

How many employees does McDonald's Corporation have compared to Unilever PLC?

McDonald's Corporation employs approximately 150,000 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. McDonald's Corporation has the larger workforce at 150,000 employees, compared to Unilever PLC's 96,092. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).

Where are McDonald's Corporation and Unilever PLC headquartered?

McDonald's Corporation 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 McDonald's Corporation and Unilever PLC?

McDonald's Corporation was founded by Maurice James McDonald, Richard James McDonald, Ray Kroc. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.

Which company has a longer operating history — McDonald's Corporation or Unilever PLC?

Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 years, making it the more established of the two companies. McDonald's Corporation has been in operation for around 86 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 McDonald's vs Unilever overview

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.