Safra Catz and John Stankey are two prominent American business executives whose careers have been closely connected with major technology, telecommunications, media, and entertainment companies. Catz spent more than two decades rising through the leadership ranks at Oracle before becoming its chief executive, while Stankey built a four-decade career at AT&T and its predecessor businesses. Although they have followed different professional paths, both have held senior positions involving large-scale corporate strategy, technology, acquisitions, and organizational transformation.
Their roles have also evolved in recent years. Catz stepped down as Oracle’s CEO and principal financial officer in September 2025 and became Executive Vice Chair of Oracle’s board, while Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia became the company’s CEOs. Stankey, meanwhile, remains Chairman and CEO of AT&T, a position he has held since 2020 and expanded with the chairmanship in February 2025. Their current positions therefore represent the latest stages of long careers rather than the beginning of their influence in corporate America.
Quick Bio Safra Catz and John Stankey
| Detail | Safra Catz | John Stankey |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Safra Ada Catz | John T. Stankey |
| Known For | Oracle Executive | AT&T Executive |
| Current Role | Executive Vice Chair, Oracle | Chairman & CEO, AT&T |
| Former Role | Oracle CEO | WarnerMedia CEO |
| Oracle Joined | 1999 | — |
| AT&T Career Began | — | 1985 |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania | Loyola Marymount University, UCLA |
| Industry | Technology & Cloud Computing | Telecommunications & Media |
| Nationality | Israeli-American | American |
| Public Profile | High-profile Executive | High-profile Executive |
| Net Worth | Not Reliably Verified | Not Reliably Verified |
Who Are Safra Catz and John Stankey?
Safra Catz is an Israeli-American business executive who became one of Oracle’s most recognizable leaders. She joined Oracle in 1999 after working in investment banking and eventually served as president, chief financial officer, and CEO. Oracle’s official biography now identifies her as Executive Vice Chair of the company’s board. She also serves on other boards, including In-Q-Tel, and has held previous directorships at companies such as HSBC Holdings and The Walt Disney Company.
John Stankey is an American telecommunications executive who has spent his professional career at AT&T and predecessor companies. He joined Pacific Bell in 1985 and moved through numerous operating, technology, strategy, and business leadership positions. He later became CEO of WarnerMedia and then AT&T CEO in July 2020. AT&T currently identifies him as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, with more than 40 years of experience across different parts of the company.
Safra Catz’s Early Life and Background
Safra Catz was born in Israel and moved with her family to the United States as a child. She was raised in Massachusetts and eventually attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied at the Wharton School and later earned a law degree from the university’s law school. Her academic background combined finance and law, two fields that later became particularly relevant to her work in corporate management, finance, and strategic transactions.
Before joining Oracle, Catz worked at the investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where she became a managing director in investment banking. That experience gave her exposure to corporate finance and transactions before she moved into the technology sector. Oracle’s official biography confirms her previous investment-banking career and identifies her subsequent progression through senior positions at the company.
John Stankey’s Early Life and Background
John Stankey was raised in Los Angeles as the youngest of three children. His father worked as an insurance underwriter, while his mother cared for the family. Before entering the telecommunications industry, Stankey attended Loyola Marymount University and earned a degree in finance. He later completed an MBA at UCLA, giving him an academic foundation in both finance and business administration.
Stankey has described himself as a first-generation college student whose early expectations were much more ordinary than the career he eventually built. After graduating, he briefly worked at a sporting-goods store before deciding to pursue a professional career. He joined Pacific Bell in 1985, beginning a long relationship with the telecommunications business that eventually led to the highest executive position at AT&T.
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Safra Catz’s Education and Career
Catz’s education combined business and law. She earned her undergraduate degree from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1986. Her professional background then moved toward investment banking, where she developed experience that would later prove valuable in corporate strategy and acquisitions.
She joined Oracle in 1999 and gradually took on increasingly important responsibilities. Oracle’s 2025 proxy statement records that she served as president beginning in 2004, held CFO responsibilities at various points, and became CEO in September 2014. She served as Oracle’s CEO until September 2025, when she transitioned to Executive Vice Chair of the board.
John Stankey’s Education and Career
Stankey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Loyola Marymount University and an MBA from UCLA. His professional career began in 1985 at Pacific Bell, which later became part of the larger corporate structure that evolved into today’s AT&T. Over the following decades, he moved through positions involving technology, operations, business services, strategy, and entertainment.
His progression included roles such as chief information officer, chief technology officer, chief strategy officer, and president of AT&T Business Solutions. He also served as CEO of AT&T Entertainment Group and later CEO of WarnerMedia. These positions gave him experience across both telecommunications and media before he became AT&T’s CEO in July 2020.
Safra Catz at Oracle
Catz’s Oracle career is one of the defining parts of her professional biography. She joined the company in 1999 and became increasingly involved in its financial and operational leadership. She served as president, CFO, and eventually CEO, working alongside Oracle founder Larry Ellison during a period in which the company expanded its cloud-computing and enterprise-technology businesses.
As CEO, Catz became particularly associated with Oracle’s transition toward cloud infrastructure and services. Oracle announced in September 2025 that she would leave the CEO role after more than a decade and become Executive Vice Chair of the board. The company simultaneously appointed Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia as CEOs, with Catz continuing to have a leadership role at board level.
John Stankey at Warner Bros. Discovery
John Stankey’s connection with Warner Bros. Discovery requires some historical context. He was CEO of WarnerMedia, not CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. AT&T owned WarnerMedia before the transaction that created Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022. Stankey served as WarnerMedia’s CEO from 2018 until 2020, before becoming CEO of AT&T.
During his time leading WarnerMedia, Stankey was responsible for a major media organization containing businesses such as HBO, CNN, Turner networks, and Warner Bros. The WarnerMedia period became an important part of his career because it gave him direct experience managing a large entertainment and media portfolio before he returned to the broader leadership of AT&T. Warner Bros. Discovery was subsequently formed after AT&T and Discovery completed their transaction in 2022.
Their Leadership Styles and Responsibilities
Catz and Stankey have operated in different industries, but their responsibilities have shared several themes. Both have worked at companies where technology, corporate investment, strategic planning, and large-scale organizational decisions are central to the business. Catz’s career has been particularly connected with finance, cloud technology, enterprise software, and acquisitions, while Stankey’s career has covered telecommunications, technology infrastructure, media, and entertainment.
Their leadership responsibilities have also changed over time. Catz now works primarily at board level as Oracle’s Executive Vice Chair, while Stankey continues to run AT&T as its Chairman and CEO. These roles should not be treated as identical: Catz’s current position is primarily a board leadership role, whereas Stankey remains the company’s chief executive responsible for day-to-day corporate leadership.
Major Career Milestones and Achievements
Among Catz’s major milestones are her appointment as Oracle president, her periods as CFO, her appointment as joint CEO with Mark Hurd in 2014, and her later tenure as sole CEO. Oracle’s official announcement in 2025 credited her with leading the company during its expansion as a major cloud provider before she transitioned out of the CEO position. She has also served on corporate and institutional boards beyond Oracle.
Stankey’s career milestones include becoming a senior leader at AT&T, serving as chief technology and strategy officer, leading AT&T’s entertainment operations, becoming CEO of WarnerMedia, and then becoming AT&T’s CEO in 2020. In February 2025, he also became chairman of AT&T’s board. In 2025, UCLA’s Anderson School of Management recognized him with its John E. Anderson Distinguished Alumni Award, reflecting his long corporate career and connection to the university.
Safra Catz and John Stankey in the Technology and Media Industries
Catz and Stankey have both operated at the intersection of technology and large-scale consumer or enterprise businesses. Oracle’s business is centered on enterprise software, databases, cloud infrastructure, and increasingly AI-related technology. AT&T, meanwhile, operates in telecommunications, with wireless and broadband connectivity forming a central part of its current business strategy.
Their careers also intersect through the media industry. Catz previously served on The Walt Disney Company’s board, while Stankey directly led WarnerMedia and AT&T’s entertainment businesses. The two therefore represent different sides of corporate leadership: Catz’s career is strongly associated with enterprise technology and finance, while Stankey’s career has moved between communications infrastructure, technology, and media.
Their Professional Influence and Public Profiles
Catz became a highly visible figure in the technology industry because Oracle is one of the world’s largest enterprise-technology companies. Her long tenure at Oracle also made her one of the company’s most recognizable executives. Even after leaving the CEO position, she remains part of Oracle’s senior governance structure as Executive Vice Chair.
Stankey has maintained a similarly high-profile position in telecommunications. AT&T identifies him as Chairman and CEO, and the company reported more than $125 billion in revenue for 2025. His responsibilities include overseeing a company serving more than 100 million U.S. wireless and broadband subscribers, while continuing to guide its investments in fiber and 5G networks.
Safra Catz and John Stankey’s Compensation and Net Worth
Executive compensation and personal net worth are different measures, and the distinction is particularly important with corporate leaders. Oracle’s fiscal 2025 proxy reported total compensation of $1,113,417 for Catz for that fiscal year. The filing notes that she served as CEO and principal financial officer during fiscal 2025 but retired from those positions on September 22, 2025, becoming Executive Vice Chair.
Stankey’s compensation is disclosed through AT&T’s annual proxy materials, but compensation for a particular year should not be confused with his overall personal wealth. His assets, investments, property, and other financial interests cannot be calculated reliably from salary and corporate compensation alone. Consequently, while both executives have substantial documented corporate careers, precise personal net-worth figures should be treated cautiously unless supported by reliable financial disclosures.
What Makes Their Careers Notable?
The careers of Catz and Stankey are notable for their longevity and the scale of the organizations they have helped lead. Catz spent more than 25 years at Oracle and moved from an outside investment-banking career to CEO and then board leadership. Stankey has spent more than 40 years within the AT&T corporate family, progressing from an entry-level position to chairman and CEO.
Their stories also show two different routes to senior corporate leadership. Catz combined finance, law, investment banking, and technology management, while Stankey developed through operational, technology, strategic, and telecommunications roles inside one corporate system. Their careers demonstrate how senior executives can reach similar levels of responsibility through substantially different professional experiences.
Conclusion
Safra Catz and John Stankey have built long careers at the top of major American corporations, but their professional journeys have followed distinct paths. Catz became one of Oracle’s central executives after joining the company in 1999 and ultimately served as CEO from 2014 until 2025. She now serves as Oracle’s Executive Vice Chair, continuing her connection with the company at board level.
Stankey’s career has been almost entirely tied to AT&T and its predecessor businesses. After joining Pacific Bell in 1985, he moved through technology, operations, strategy, business, and media leadership positions before becoming CEO of WarnerMedia and later AT&T. As of 2026, he remains Chairman and CEO of AT&T. Together, their careers provide two examples of how executives can move through complex corporate organizations while adapting to major changes in technology, telecommunications, and media.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Safra Catz?
Safra Catz is an Israeli-American business executive and the Executive Vice Chair of Oracle’s board. She previously served as Oracle’s CEO.
Who is John Stankey?
John Stankey is an American telecommunications executive who serves as Chairman and CEO of AT&T.
When did Safra Catz become Oracle CEO?
Catz became Oracle’s CEO in September 2014 and served in that role until September 2025.
What is Safra Catz’s current role?
She is Executive Vice Chair of Oracle’s Board of Directors.
Is John Stankey still CEO of AT&T?
Yes. AT&T currently identifies Stankey as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
Did John Stankey lead WarnerMedia?
Yes. Stankey served as CEO of WarnerMedia from 2018 until 2020 before becoming AT&T’s CEO.
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