PepsiCo vs Warner Bros. Discovery: Founders, CEOs and History
PepsiCo was founded in 1965 by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay and is led by Ramon Laguarta. Warner Bros. Discovery was founded in 2022 by Harry Warner, John Hendricks and is led by David Zaslav.
Company facts
PepsiCo
- Founded
- 1965
- Headquarters
- Purchase, New York, United States
- Current CEO
- Ramon Laguarta
- Employees
- 306,000
Warner Bros. Discovery
- Founded
- 2022
- Headquarters
- New York, New York
- Current CEO
- David Zaslav
- Employees
- 35,500
Founders
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.
Warner Bros. Discovery
Harry Warner
Harry Warner was the eldest of the four Warner brothers who incorporated Warner Bros. Pictures in 1923 and served as its president. The studio released The Jazz Singer in 1927, one of the first feature films with synchronized dialogue. Warner Bros.
John Hendricks
John Hendricks launched the Discovery Channel in 1985 and built Discovery Communications, the predecessor of Discovery, Inc., which merged with WarnerMedia in 2022 to form Warner Bros. Discovery. He founded the Discovery business, not WBD itself.
CEOs and their tenures
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
Warner Bros. Discovery
- David Zaslav2022–present
President and CEO
Led the 2022 merger, the post-merger cost cuts and debt paydown, the 2025 separation plan, and the sale process that produced the Paramount Skydance agreement.
Source - Gunnar Wiedenfels2022–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he acts as CEO David Zaslav's primary hatchet man, enforcing brutal, multi-billion dollar cost-cutting measures to pay down the massive $40 billion debt load from the WarnerMedia merger.
Source
Timeline: PepsiCo and Warner Bros. Discovery side by side
1898PepsiCo
Pepsi-Cola Invented in North Carolina
Caleb Bradham formulated the original digestive cola syrup in his drugstore.
1923Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Pictures Founded
Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner incorporate Warner Bros. Pictures.
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.
1985Warner Bros. Discovery
Discovery Channel Launches
John Hendricks launches the Discovery Channel, the start of the Discovery business.
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.
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.
2011PepsiCo
Wimm-Bill-Dann Acquired
PepsiCo completed its acquisition of the Russian dairy and juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann in 2011.
2018PepsiCo
Acquisition of SodaStream ($3.2B) & Ramon Laguarta Appointed CEO
Acquired SodaStream to pioneer eco-friendly dispensing; Ramon Laguarta took over as CEO.
2018Warner Bros. Discovery
Acquired Scripps Networks Interactive
Warner Bros. Discovery acquired Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion.
2022PepsiCo
Strategic Distribution Alliance with Celsius ($550M)
Secured master global distribution for fast-growing energy brand Celsius.
2022Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery Formed
AT&T spins off WarnerMedia and combines it with Discovery, Inc.; the new company lists on Nasdaq as WBD.
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.
2025Warner Bros. Discovery
Netflix Wins Sale Process
After putting itself up for sale in October 2025, WBD agrees in December to sell its studios and streaming business to Netflix.
2026PepsiCo
Price Cuts on Core Snacks
Lowered prices on major Frito-Lay brands by up to 15% to recover US volumes.
2026Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount Skydance Merger Agreement
On February 27, 2026, WBD signs a merger agreement with Paramount Skydance at $31 per share in cash; the Netflix agreement is terminated.
2026Warner Bros. Discovery
Stockholders Approve Merger
WBD stockholders approve the Paramount Skydance transaction on April 23, 2026.
2026Warner Bros. Discovery
Closing Date Set
After a court approves a settlement with state attorneys general, the companies announce an anticipated closing date of October 6, 2026.
Acquisitions
PepsiCo
- poppi2025$1.9B
- SodaStream International2018$3.2B
- The Quaker Oats Company (including Gatorade)2001$13.4B
- Tropicana Products1998$3.3B
Warner Bros. Discovery
- WarnerMedia2022$43B
- Scripps Networks Interactive2018$14.6B
Questions about PepsiCo vs Warner Bros. Discovery
Who is the CEO of PepsiCo, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery?
PepsiCo, Inc. is led by Ramon Laguarta and Warner Bros. Discovery is led by David Zaslav. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was PepsiCo, Inc. founded vs Warner Bros. Discovery?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded in 1965 — 57 years before Warner Bros. Discovery, which was founded in 2022. PepsiCo, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Warner Bros. Discovery.
How many employees does PepsiCo, Inc. have compared to Warner Bros. Discovery?
PepsiCo, Inc. employs approximately 306,000 people, while Warner Bros. Discovery employs approximately 35,500. PepsiCo, Inc. has the larger workforce at 306,000 employees, compared to Warner Bros. Discovery's 35,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are PepsiCo, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery headquartered?
Both PepsiCo, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded PepsiCo, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery?
PepsiCo, Inc. was founded by Caleb Bradham, Donald M. Kendall, Herman W. Lay. Warner Bros. Discovery was founded by Harry Warner, John Hendricks.
Which company has a longer operating history — PepsiCo, Inc. or Warner Bros. Discovery?
PepsiCo, Inc. has been operating for approximately 61 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Warner Bros. Discovery has been in operation for around 4 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 PepsiCo vs Warner Bros. Discovery overview