Novartis vs Pfizer: Founders, CEOs and History
Novartis was founded in 1996 by Daniel Vasella, Alex Krauer and is led by Vasant Narasimhan. Pfizer was founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart and is led by Albert Bourla.
Company facts
Founders
Novartis
Daniel Vasella
Novartis was formed in December 1996 when Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merged in a deal valued at roughly $27 billion, then among the largest corporate mergers on record.
Alex Krauer
Alex Krauer was the first chairman of Novartis, serving from the company's formation through the roughly $27 billion merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz in 1996 until 1999, when the board named CEO Daniel Vasella to replace him as chairman.
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
Novartis
- Joseph Jimenez2010–2018
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2010 to 2018, he fundamentally transformed the massive Swiss conglomerate, heavily trimming its bloated divisions to create a highly focused, pure-play innovative medicines company.
Source - Vas Narasimhan2018–present
Chief Executive Officer
Narasimhan, a physician who previously led global drug development, became CEO on February 1, 2018.
Source - Giovanni Caforio2025–present
Chair of the Board
As a highly influential Board Member (and former BMS CEO), he brings unmatched global oncology expertise to Novartis's executive committee.
Source - Mukul Mehta2026–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he aggressively deploys massive amounts of capital toward high-risk, high-reward biotech acquisitions, ensuring Novartis maintains a dominant pipeline of blockbuster drugs.
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: Novartis and Pfizer side by side
1849Pfizer
Pfizer Founded
Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart founded the company in Brooklyn.
1859Novartis
Founding of Ciba
Silk dyer Alexander Clavel began producing the synthetic dye fuchsine in Basel, Switzerland, marking the origin of Ciba, part of the Ciba-Geigy half of the Novartis merger.
1886Novartis
Founding of Sandoz
Alfred Kern and Edouard Sandoz founded the chemical company Kern & Sandoz in Basel, establishing the second half of the corporate lineage that would eventually merge to form Novartis.
1944Pfizer
Penicillin Scale-Up
Pfizer helped industrialize penicillin production during World War II.
1996Novartis
Merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz
Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz completed their merger in December 1996, a deal valued at roughly $27 billion, creating Novartis AG.
1998Pfizer
Viagra Approved
The FDA approved Viagra in 1998.
2000Pfizer
Warner-Lambert Deal
Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert, adding Lipitor.
2006Novartis
Acquisition of Chiron Corporation
Novartis acquired the US biotechnology company Chiron Corporation for $5.1 billion, significantly expanding its vaccine and oncology franchises.
2009Pfizer
Wyeth Acquired
Pfizer bought Wyeth in 2009 for about $68 billion.
2010Novartis
Acquisition of Alcon
Novartis completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in Alcon, the world's largest eye care company, for approximately $28 billion, creating a dominant position in ophthalmology.
2015Novartis
DOJ Settlement
Novartis paid $390 million to resolve US allegations that it gave kickbacks to specialty pharmacies to promote Exjade and Myfortic.
2018Novartis
Vas Narasimhan Appointed CEO
Vas Narasimhan became CEO at age 41, one of the youngest leaders of a major pharmaceutical company, initiating a strategic review that would eventually lead to the Sandoz spin-off.
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.
2020Pfizer
BioNTech COVID Vaccine Partnership
Pfizer and BioNTech brought Comirnaty through emergency authorization.
2023Novartis
Acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics
Novartis acquired Chinook Therapeutics for $3.2 billion upfront plus $300 million in milestones, securing late-stage assets for rare kidney diseases.
2023Novartis
Spin-off of Sandoz
On October 4, 2023, Novartis completed the 100% spin-off of its Sandoz generics division, transforming into a pure-play innovative medicines company.
2023Pfizer
Seagen Acquisition
Pfizer completed the $43 billion Seagen acquisition.
2024Novartis
Acquisition of MorphoSys
Novartis acquired German biotech MorphoSys for about EUR 2.7 billion ($2.9 billion), adding the investigational myelofibrosis drug pelabresib.
2025Novartis
FY2025 Financial Results
Novartis reported FY2025 net sales of $54.5 billion, up 8%, with a core operating margin above 40% and free cash flow of $17.6 billion.
2025Novartis
Entresto Generic Entry
US generic versions of Entresto, Novartis's largest product, launched in 2025, starting the steepest patent cliff in the company's post-Sandoz history.
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.
2026Novartis
Avidity Biosciences Acquisition Closes
On February 27, 2026, Novartis completed its roughly $12 billion acquisition of Avidity Biosciences, adding antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates for DM1, Duchenne and FSHD.
2026Novartis
HARBOR Phase 3 Miss
In September 2026, del-desiran missed the primary endpoint of the 159-patient Phase 3 HARBOR trial in myotonic dystrophy type 1, and NVS shares fell about 12.5% in pre-market trading.
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
Novartis
- Avidity Biosciences2026$12B
- MorphoSys AG2024$2.9B
- Chinook Therapeutics2023$3.5B
- The Medicines Company2020$9.7B
- Advanced Accelerator Applications2018$3.9B
- Chiron Corporation2006$5.1B
Pfizer
- Metsera, Inc.2025$7B
- Seagen Inc.2023$43B
- Medivation Inc.2016$14B
- Wyeth2009$68B
- Pharmacia Corporation2003$60B
- Warner-Lambert Company2000$111B
Questions about Novartis vs Pfizer
Who is the CEO of Novartis AG and Pfizer Inc.?
Novartis AG is led by Vasant Narasimhan 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 Novartis AG founded vs Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. was founded in 1849 — 147 years before Novartis AG, which was founded in 1996. Pfizer Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Novartis AG.
How many employees does Novartis AG have compared to Pfizer Inc.?
Novartis AG employs approximately 75,267 people, while Pfizer Inc. employs approximately 75,000. Novartis AG has the larger workforce at 75,267 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 Novartis AG and Pfizer Inc. headquartered?
Novartis AG is headquartered in Switzerland 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 Novartis AG and Pfizer Inc.?
Novartis AG was founded by Daniel Vasella, Alex Krauer. Pfizer Inc. was founded by Charles Pfizer, Charles Erhart.
Which company has a longer operating history — Novartis AG or Pfizer Inc.?
Pfizer Inc. has been operating for approximately 177 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Novartis AG has been in operation for around 30 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 Novartis vs Pfizer overview