Morgan Stanley vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Morgan Stanley was founded in 1935 by Henry S. Morgan, Harold Stanley and is led by Ted Pick. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Morgan Stanley
- Founded
- 1935
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, United States
- Current CEO
- Ted Pick
- Employees
- 83,000
Unilever
- Founded
- 1929
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdom
- Current CEO
- Fernando Fernandez
- Employees
- 96,092
Founders
Morgan Stanley
Henry S. Morgan
Henry S. Morgan co-founded Morgan Stanley in 1935 after the Glass-Steagall Act required J.P. Morgan & Co. to separate its securities business from commercial banking.
Harold Stanley
Harold Stanley (1885-1963) co-founded Morgan Stanley in 1935 alongside Henry S. Morgan. Following the passage of the Glass-Steagall Act, which forced banks to separate commercial and investment banking, Stanley left J.P. Morgan & Co.
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
Morgan Stanley
- James Gorman2010–2023
Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Gorman's tenure moved Morgan Stanley toward recurring fee revenue. He became executive chairman after stepping down as CEO and left the board at the end of 2024.
Source - Ted Pick2024–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under Pick, Morgan Stanley reported record 2025 net revenues of $70.6B and record Q2 2026 results.
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: Morgan Stanley and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
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.
1935Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley Founded
Henry S. Morgan and Harold Stanley officially launch the top investment bank following the historic Glass-Steagall split.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
1996Morgan Stanley
Acquired Van Kampen American Capital
Morgan Stanley acquired Van Kampen American Capital in 1996.
1997Morgan Stanley
Merged with Dean Witter Discover & Co
Morgan Stanley merged with Dean Witter Discover & Co in February 1997.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2008Morgan Stanley
Bank Holding Company Conversion
Facing total catastrophic collapse, the firm converts into a traditional bank holding company to survive the global financial crisis.
2009Morgan Stanley
The Smith Barney Acquisition
then-CEO James Gorman masterminds the acquisition of Smith Barney, instantly creating a dominant retail wealth management leader.
2018Morgan Stanley
Acquired Mesa West
Morgan Stanley acquired Mesa West in March 2018.
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.
2020Morgan Stanley
E*TRADE Acquisition
Morgan Stanley dominates the self-directed brokerage market by acquiring E*TRADE for $13 billion.
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.
2021Morgan Stanley
Acquired Eaton Vance
Morgan Stanley acquired Eaton Vance for $7 billion. Morgan Stanley acquired Eaton Vance for about $7B, completed in March 2021, adding Parametric, Calvert, and Atlanta Capital.
2024Morgan Stanley
Ted Pick Appointed CEO
Following a competitive internal succession, Ted Pick takes the helm to heavily drive the integration strategy.
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
Morgan Stanley
- Eaton Vance2021$7B
- E*TRADE2020$13B
- Smith Barney2009Undisclosed
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Morgan Stanley vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Morgan Stanley and Unilever PLC?
Morgan Stanley is led by Ted Pick 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 Morgan Stanley founded vs Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 6 years before Morgan Stanley, which was founded in 1935. Unilever PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Morgan Stanley.
How many employees does Morgan Stanley have compared to Unilever PLC?
Morgan Stanley employs approximately 83,000 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Unilever PLC has the larger workforce at 96,092 employees, compared to Morgan Stanley'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 Morgan Stanley and Unilever PLC headquartered?
Morgan Stanley 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 Morgan Stanley and Unilever PLC?
Morgan Stanley was founded by Henry S. Morgan, Harold Stanley. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Morgan Stanley or Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Morgan Stanley has been in operation for around 91 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 Morgan Stanley vs Unilever overview