Safra Catz and John Stankey work in different industries. Yet both steered giant American companies through huge change. Catz spent 26 years at Oracle and now serves as Executive Vice Chair. Stankey has led AT&T since 2020 and chairs its board.
This guide covers their careers, biggest deals, and current roles. You also get a clear comparison and a quick profile table. All details reflect public information available in October 2026.
Quick Profile Summary
Catz and Stankey are veteran executives with very different career routes. Here are the key facts at a glance.
| Detail | Safra Catz | John Stankey |
| Full name | Safra Ada Catz | John T. Stankey |
| Age | 64 | About 64 (born 1962) |
| Birthplace | Holon, Israel | Not publicly disclosed (raised in Los Angeles) |
| Nationality | American, Israeli born | American |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (BA, JD) | Loyola Marymount (BBA), UCLA (MBA) |
| Profession | Business executive | Business executive |
| Current role | Executive Vice Chair, Oracle | Chairman, CEO and President, AT&T |
| Joined company | 1999 | 1985 |
| Spouse | Gal Tirosh | Shari Stankey (reported) |
| Children | 2 | Not publicly disclosed |
| Net worth | Estimated $3.4 billion (Forbes, 2025) | Estimated $30 to $36 million in AT&T shares (mid 2026 market data) |
| Height and weight | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Social media | No verified personal handles | Not publicly disclosed |
Net worth figures are estimates. Stock prices move daily, so treat every number as a snapshot.
Who Is Safra Catz?
Safra Catz is an Israeli American executive who ran Oracle as CEO from 2014 to 2025. She was born in December 1961 in Holon, Israel, and holds U.S. citizenship. Since September 2025, she has held the title of Executive Vice Chair. Forbes ranked her 17th on its 2024 list of the world’s most powerful women.
Few executives stay at one tech company for over two decades. Catz did, and she kept getting bigger jobs.
Safra Catz’s Early Career and Finance Background
Catz started in investment banking, not software. She earned both her undergraduate degree and her law degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Then she joined Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette in 1986. She became a senior vice president in 1994 and a managing director in 1997.
Her clients included technology firms. That is how she met Oracle founder Larry Ellison. He recruited her in April 1999 as a senior vice president. Reports say she wanted less travel than banking demanded. Within months, Oracle promoted her to executive vice president.
That banking past shaped her style. She learned to price deals coldly and to walk away when numbers looked wrong. She has said Oracle always keeps an alternative, so it never needs to overpay.
How Safra Catz Built Her Career at Oracle
Catz rose from senior vice president to CEO in 20 years. Each step added more power over money, deals, and direction.
- 1999: Joins Oracle as senior vice president.
- 2001: Joins the board of directors.
- 2005: Takes a temporary CFO role during the PeopleSoft era.
- 2011: Becomes co president and chief financial officer.
- 2014: Becomes co CEO alongside Mark Hurd.
- 2019: Becomes sole CEO after Hurd stepped away for health reasons.
- 2025: Moves to Executive Vice Chair.
Oracle Acquisitions and Business Strategy
Catz became known as Oracle’s chief dealmaker. Reports credit her with more than 130 acquisitions. The biggest ones changed what Oracle sells.
| Deal | Approximate price | What it added |
| PeopleSoft | $10.3 billion | Business applications and a large customer base |
| Sun Microsystems | $7.4 billion | Servers, storage, and the Java language |
| NetSuite | $9.4 billion | Cloud software for growing companies |
| Cerner | About $28 billion | Healthcare records and hospital technology |
Her approach was simple. Buy a proven product, cut overlapping costs, and sell it to Oracle’s existing customers. Think of it like a restaurant chain buying a rival bakery. The new shop uses the same kitchens and the same suppliers.
Cloud and AI became the next growth engine. In September 2025, Oracle reported $455 billion in remaining performance obligations. That figure measures signed contracts not yet counted as revenue. Oracle’s stock jumped about 40% in one session. Over her tenure, Oracle shares reportedly rose more than eightfold.
Big deals also draw scrutiny. A shareholder lawsuit challenged the NetSuite purchase, naming both Catz and Ellison. That case shows the pressure that comes with every large acquisition.
From Oracle CEO to Executive Vice Chair
In September 2025, Catz handed the CEO job to two successors. Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia now share the role. Magouyrk previously led Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Sicilia ran Oracle Industries, which builds vertical applications with built in AI.
Catz stayed on the board as Executive Vice Chair. She works on strategy with Ellison. At the announcement, she said the timing felt right because Oracle’s business had never been stronger. She also called Oracle the cloud of choice for AI training and inference.
The move looks like a planned handoff. Oracle’s top leaders now match its two biggest bets: cloud infrastructure and AI powered industry software.
Who Is John Stankey?
John Stankey is the Chairman, CEO, and President of AT&T. He has run the company since July 2020. Stankey was born in 1962 and raised in Los Angeles, the youngest of three children. He earned a finance degree from Loyola Marymount University and an MBA from UCLA.
He started at AT&T in 1985 in an entry level job. Four decades later, he runs the whole company. He also serves on the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee and sits on the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association board.
John Stankey’s Long Career Across AT&T
Stankey has spent about 41 years inside the AT&T family. Few chief executives know a company this deeply. His roles covered nearly every part of the business:
- Corporate strategy and mergers
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Strategy Officer
- CEO of AT&T Business Solutions
- CEO of AT&T Operations
- CEO of the Entertainment Group (2015 to 2018)
- CEO of WarnerMedia
- President and Chief Operating Officer (from October 2019)
That mix of technology, media, and operations gave him a rare view of how the pieces connect.
John Stankey’s Climb Through AT&T
Stankey moved from technology and strategy jobs to the top seat in 2020. Randall Stephenson, the prior CEO, had led for 13 years. He announced his exit in April 2020. According to Stephenson, the board began succession planning in 2017, and its choice of Stankey was unanimous.
From Technology Executive to AT&T CEO
Stankey became AT&T’s CEO on July 1, 2020. He had served as president and COO since October 2019. Before that, he ran WarnerMedia, the unit that included HBO and CNN.
His power grew again in February 2025. AT&T elected him board chair, succeeding William Kennard. Kennard moved into the lead independent director role. Stankey now holds the CEO and chair titles together, which gives him strong control over strategy.
AT&T and the Shift Away From DirecTV
AT&T fully exited DirecTV in July 2025. The company bought it in 2015 for about $48.5 billion, or $67 billion with debt. Stankey spent his CEO years undoing that bet.
| Year | Move |
| 2021 | AT&T sold about 30% of DirecTV to TPG at a $16.25 billion valuation |
| 2021 | WarnerMedia combined with Discovery in a deal worth about $43 billion in cash plus stock |
| 2024 | AT&T agreed to sell its remaining 70% to TPG for $7.6 billion |
| 2025 | The final DirecTV sale closed |
AT&T said the sale lets it focus on being the leading 5G and fiber connectivity company in America. The sale also helped pay down heavy debt. Pay TV had become a shrinking business. Stankey chose to stop fighting that trend.
What Stankey Changed Inside AT&T
Stankey turned AT&T into a focused fiber and wireless company. He sold media assets, cleaned up the balance sheet, and put money into networks. The company now reports results under three segments: advanced connectivity, legacy, and Latin America.
A Customer Focused Business Strategy
His core idea is convergence, which means selling home internet and mobile service together. Customers who bundle both tend to stay longer. Think of a gym membership that also covers your pool pass. Leaving costs you more than one service.
The numbers back the plan:
- About 45% of AT&T Fiber customers also buy wireless service, excluding the Lumen footprint.
- AT&T reported 12.14 million residential fiber customers at the end of the second quarter of 2026.
- It added 344,000 fiber customers in that quarter.
- In markets with both fiber and wireless, mobile share runs roughly 500 basis points higher.
Acquisitions widened the footprint. AT&T closed its $5.75 billion purchase of Lumen’s consumer fiber business on February 2, 2026. That deal brought roughly 1.1 million customers and over 4 million fiber locations. Management calls 2026 its biggest year ever for fiber expansion, with about 8 million new locations planned. The long range goal is 60 million locations by 2030.
AT&T also keeps retiring old copper lines. Shareholders benefit too. The company raised its 2026 buyback target to about $10 billion from $8 billion, tied to the expected EchoStar closing.
AI and Technology at AT&T
Stankey treats AI as both a traffic driver and a cost cutter. He argues that AI apps need strong upload speeds, low delay, and steady performance. Traditional networks focused on downloads. AI changes that balance.
Two moves support this view:
- EchoStar spectrum: AT&T agreed to pay about $23 billion for 30 MHz of nationwide 3.45 GHz midband spectrum and roughly 20 MHz of 600 MHz low band spectrum. Stankey says the 600 MHz block can improve wireless upload performance. On the second quarter call, he expected the deal to close by the end of July 2026. Check AT&T’s latest filings for the final status.
- Fiber for data centers: AT&T says it already works with cloud providers to link fiber into AI data centers.
Internally, AI helps the company cut costs. AT&T reported over $1 billion in savings last year. It plans more through AI tools and digital customer service. The company also backs a satellite partnership with AST SpaceMobile for coverage beyond towers.
Safra Catz and John Stankey: A Side by Side Look
Both lead American giants, but Catz worked in software and Stankey works in networks. Their paths crossed on a shared theme. Each had to reshape a legacy company for the AI era.
Different Industries, Similar Corporate Responsibilities
Both executives carry the same core duties at the top. Those duties include:
- Capital allocation: Deciding which deals and buildouts deserve billions.
- Acquisition strategy: Buying growth while managing debt.
- Investor pressure: Explaining long bets to Wall Street each quarter.
- AI positioning: Building or buying the infrastructure that AI needs.
- Succession planning: Preparing the next generation of leaders.
Oracle sells cloud software and computing power. AT&T sells connections. Yet AI demand pushes both toward bigger infrastructure spending.
Two Different Paths to Corporate Leadership
Catz arrived from Wall Street, while Stankey grew up inside one company. That difference shaped how each led.
| Factor | Safra Catz | John Stankey |
| Starting point | Investment banking | Entry level role at AT&T |
| Year joined | 1999 | 1985 |
| Path to top job | CFO, co CEO, sole CEO | COO, then CEO |
| Deal style | Frequent acquisitions | Big sales plus targeted buys |
| Signature move | Building Oracle’s cloud and AI business | Exiting media and betting on fiber |
| Top role start | 2014 (co CEO) | 2020 |
Catz bought her way into new markets. Stankey sold his way back to the core.
Safra Catz and John Stankey in 2026
In 2026, Catz advises while Stankey runs daily operations. She sits on Oracle’s board as Executive Vice Chair. Meanwhile, he leads AT&T as chairman and CEO. One is easing into a guiding role. The other is deep in execution, with Lumen integration and spectrum rollout still ahead.
Where Each Leader Stands in 2026
Catz holds a board level advisory role, and Stankey holds the top operating job. Their titles show where each company stands.
Safra Catz’s Current Role at Oracle
Catz is Oracle’s Executive Vice Chair. Oracle’s fiscal 2026 proxy statement confirms she has held the post since September 2025 and has served as a director since 2001. She also chairs the Oracle Education Foundation, a role she has held since 2004. Beyond Oracle, she lectures at Stanford Graduate School of Business and serves as a trustee of In-Q-Tel. Public records also list a board seat at Paramount Skydance.
John Stankey’s Current Role at AT&T
Stankey is AT&T’s Chairman, CEO, and President. He has held the CEO job for over six years. Recent public remarks focus on fiber growth, convergence, and AI ready connectivity. He also manages a major capital plan that includes the Lumen integration and the EchoStar spectrum.
What Their 2026 Positions Show
Their positions show two stages of corporate leadership. Catz represents a planned handoff after a long run. Stankey represents a leader still building the strategy he started in 2020.
Both stories also show a bigger pattern. Investors now reward companies that tie their plans to AI infrastructure. Oracle’s cloud contracts and AT&T’s fiber and spectrum both point that way.
Fast Facts About Safra Catz and John Stankey
- Safra Catz was born in December 1961 in Holon, Israel.
- She joined Oracle in 1999 and became CEO in 2014.
- Catz became Executive Vice Chair in September 2025.
- Her net worth is estimated near $3.4 billion.
- Oracle’s co CEOs, Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia, succeeded her.
- John Stankey was born in 1962 and raised in Los Angeles.
- He joined AT&T in 1985 and became CEO on July 1, 2020.
- Stankey became AT&T board chair in February 2025.
- AT&T completed its DirecTV exit in July 2025.
- AT&T closed the $5.75 billion Lumen fiber deal in February 2026.
FAQs
Is Safra Catz still the CEO of Oracle?
No. She became Executive Vice Chair in September 2025, and Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia now share the CEO role.
Who is the CEO of AT&T in 2026?
John Stankey is the CEO and chairman of AT&T. He has held the CEO role since July 2020.
What is Safra Catz’s net worth?
Forbes estimated her net worth at about $3.4 billion in 2025. The figure moves with Oracle’s stock price.
Why did AT&T sell DirecTV?
AT&T wanted to focus on 5G and fiber and to reduce debt. The sale finished in July 2025.
How old are Safra Catz and John Stankey?
Catz is 64, and Stankey is about 64. Stankey’s exact birth date is not publicly disclosed.
Final Thoughts
Safra Catz and John Stankey took different roads to the top. Catz moved from banking to Oracle and turned acquisitions into a cloud and AI engine. Stankey spent four decades at AT&T and then refocused it on fiber and wireless.
In 2026, their roles look different but their challenges overlap. Both must turn big spending into lasting growth. Both are betting on AI demand. If you follow business leadership, watch how Oracle’s new CEOs use Catz’s guidance and how AT&T completes its fiber and spectrum plans.
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