Procter & Gamble vs Samsung: Founders, CEOs and History

Company facts

Founders

CEOs and their tenures

Timeline: Procter & Gamble and Samsung side by side

1. 1837Procter & Gamble

   Company Founded in Cincinnati

   William Procter and James Gamble sign a partnership agreement on October 31, 1837, establishing Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio, with combined capital of approximately 7,192 dollars.

2. 1862Procter & Gamble

   Civil War Army Contracts Fuel Expansion

   P&G wins contracts to supply the Union Army with soap and candles, generating significant revenue that enables manufacturing expansion and introduces millions of American soldiers to P&G products for the first time.

3. 1882Procter & Gamble

   Ivory Soap Launches Nationally

   Harley Procter and James Norris Gamble introduce Ivory soap, promoted as 99 and 44/100 percent pure and notable for its floating characteristic.

4. 1890Procter & Gamble

   Company Incorporates and Expands Nationally

   Procter & Gamble incorporates in Ohio with capital of 4.5 million dollars and begins building manufacturing capacity outside Cincinnati, establishing the operational infrastructure for national distribution that the Ivory soap advertising campaign had created…

5. 1911Procter & Gamble

   Crisco Shortening Introduced

   P&G launches Crisco vegetable shortening, the first hydrogenated vegetable oil product marketed to American consumers as an alternative to lard and butter.

6. 1931Procter & Gamble

   Brand Management System Invented

   P&G executive Neil McElroy writes a famous internal memo proposing that each brand have its own dedicated management team responsible for competing against all rivals including other P&G brands.

7. 1938Samsung

   Samsung Group begins

   Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung as a trading company before later generations expanded the group into electronics and industry.

8. 1946Procter & Gamble

   Tide Detergent Launches

   P&G introduces Tide synthetic detergent, which rapidly becomes the best-selling laundry product in the United States and establishes the template for all future P&G brand development: superior product performance, heavy consumer advertising, and sustained mark…

9. 1961Procter & Gamble

   Pampers Diapers Introduced

   P&G introduces Pampers disposable diapers, transforming the infant care category and creating what will become one of the company's most globally significant brands.

10. 1969Samsung

    Samsung Electronics established

    Samsung Electronics Industry Co. Ltd. was established as the group entered electronics manufacturing.

11. 1977Samsung

    Korea Semiconductor acquired

    Samsung acquired Korea Semiconductor, a key step toward memory and component manufacturing leadership.

12. 1993Samsung

    New Management initiative

    Lee Kun-hee launched the New Management push to raise quality, design, and global competitiveness.

13. 2005Procter & Gamble

    Gillette Acquired for 57 Billion Dollars

    P&G completes the acquisition of Gillette Company for approximately 57 billion dollars in an all-stock transaction, adding Gillette razors, Braun appliances, Oral-B dental products, and Duracell batteries to the P&G portfolio.

14. 2014Procter & Gamble

    Portfolio Transformation Announced

    CEO A.G. Lafley announces P&G's plan to divest more than 100 brands and focus the company on approximately 80 core brands in ten product categories.

15. 2017Samsung

    Harman acquisition closes

    Samsung completed the Harman acquisition, expanding into connected car systems and premium audio.

16. 2019Procter & Gamble

    Portfolio Simplification Completed

    P&G completes the brand portfolio simplification, having divested more than 100 brands and consolidated around approximately 65 core brands.

17. 2022Samsung

    Jong-Hee Han becomes CEO

    Jong-Hee Han became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2022. A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand.

18. 2024Procter & Gamble

    Fiscal Year 2024 Net Sales Reach Approximately 84 Billion Dollars

    P&G reports fiscal year 2024 net sales of $84.0 billion and net earnings attributable to P&G of about $14.9 billion, and raises its quarterly dividend 7% to $1.0065 per share, its 68th consecutive annual increase.

19. 2024Samsung

    Jun Young-hyun becomes CEO

    Jun Young-hyun became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2024. Head of the semiconductor (Device Solutions) division and memory business; sole CEO for part of 2025 after Han Jong-hee's death, then co-CEO with TM Roh from November 2025.

20. 2025Samsung

    TM Roh joins Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO

    Samsung named TM Roh Head of Device eXperience and CEO, joining Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO.

21. 2025Samsung

    Annual revenue reaches ~$237B (KRW 333.6T)

    Samsung Electronics reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025 annual revenue and ~$31 billion (KRW 43.6 trillion) in operating profit.

22. 2025Samsung

    Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) becomes CEO

    Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2025. Longtime head of the mobile business.

Acquisitions

Questions about Procter & Gamble vs Samsung