3M vs TCS: Founders, CEOs and History
3M was founded in 1902 by J. Danley Budd, John Dwan, Henry S. Bryan and is led by William M. "Bill" Brown. TCS was founded in 1968 by J.R.D. Tata, F.C. Kohli and is led by K Krithivasan.
Company facts
Founders
3M
J. Danley Budd
Budd was the doctor among 3M's five founders. The others were attorney John Dwan, meat market owner Hermon W. Cable, and railroad men Henry S. Bryan and William A. McGonagle.
John Dwan
John Dwan was one of the five original founders of 3M, contributing his legal expertise and local Minnesota business connections to the venture's organization in 1902.
Henry S. Bryan
Bryan was one of the two railroad men in the founding group, alongside William A. McGonagle, and joined physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and meat market owner Hermon W.
Hermon W. Cable
Cable was the merchant of the founding group, which also included physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and railroad men Henry S. Bryan and William A. McGonagle.
William A. McGonagle
McGonagle and Henry S. Bryan were the railroad men of the founding group; the others were physician J. Danley Budd, attorney John Dwan and meat market owner Hermon W. Cable.
TCS
J.R.D. Tata
J.R.D. Tata was chairman of Tata Sons from 1938 to 1991. Under his leadership the group set up Tata Computer Centre in 1968, which became Tata Consultancy Services, initially to provide data-processing and management-consultancy services to Tata companies.
F.C. Kohli
Faqir Chand Kohli (1924-2020) moved from Tata Electric Companies to lead TCS in 1969 and served as its first general manager and later CEO until 1996.
CEOs and their tenures
3M
- William McKnight1914–1966
General Manager, President, and Chairman
William Lester McKnight is more responsible than any founder for creating the organizational philosophy and cultural infrastructure that made 3M's sustained innovation record possible across the twentieth century.
Source - Lew Lehr1980–1986
Chief Executive Officer
Lew Lehr led 3M during one of its most commercially successful periods, overseeing the national launch of Post-it Notes in 1980 and managing the company's expansion into international markets during a period of strong global economic growth.
Source - James McNerney2001–2005
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
W. James McNerney Jr. was the first CEO hired from outside 3M, arriving from General Electric in 2001. He introduced GE-style Six Sigma process discipline and cost controls across 3M before leaving in mid-2005 to become chairman and CEO of Boeing.
Source - George Buckley2005–2012
Chief Executive Officer
George Buckley, who joined 3M from Brunswick Corporation in 2005, is credited with reinvesting in 3M's research and development capabilities after a period under his predecessor James McNerney when cost-cutting had reduced R&D spending and raised questions abo…
Source - Inge G. Thulin2012–2018
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Swedish-born Inge G. Thulin, a 3M veteran who had built its international business and served as chief operating officer, became president and CEO on February 24, 2012, succeeding George Buckley.
Source - Michael F. Roman2018–2024
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Michael F. Roman, previously 3M's chief operating officer, succeeded Inge Thulin as CEO on July 1, 2018.
Source - William M. Brown2024–present
Chief Executive Officer
William M. "Bill" Brown became 3M's CEO on May 1, 2024, weeks after the April 1 spin-off of Solventum, succeeding Michael Roman.
Source
TCS
- F. C. Kohli1969–1996
Co-founder and First CEO
By the time Kohli stepped down from executive responsibility in 1996, TCS-trained programmers numbered in the hundreds of thousands and had helped launch India's broader IT-export industry, earning Kohli the title 'Father of the Indian IT Industry' and India's…
Source - N. Chandrasekaran2009–2017
CEO
He became chairman of Tata Sons in February 2017 and also chairs TCS's board and Air India.
Source - Rajesh Gopinathan2017–2023
CEO and Managing Director
Under Gopinathan, TCS shares nearly tripled, revenue almost doubled, and profit rose about 60% over his six-year tenure -- one of the strongest CEO track records in Indian corporate history.
Source - K. Krithivasan2023–present
CEO and Managing Director
Under Krithivasan, TCS crossed $30 billion in annual revenue in FY2026 and grew its annualized AI revenue run rate to $2.6 billion by Q1 FY2027, even as dollar revenue was roughly flat amid weak discretionary IT spending.
Source
Timeline: 3M and TCS side by side
19023M
Company Founded in Two Harbors, Minnesota
Five Minnesota businessmen incorporate the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company with the intention of mining corundum abrasive mineral from a deposit on the Lake Superior shore.
19103M
Relocation to Saint Paul and First Laboratory
3M relocates its operations to Saint Paul, Minnesota, establishing the geographic base that it would maintain for the remainder of the twentieth century.
19213M
Wetordry Waterproof Sandpaper Introduced
Researcher Francis Okie develops Wetordry waterproof sandpaper, the first 3M product to achieve significant commercial success by offering genuine technical differentiation from competing products.
19253M
Masking Tape Invented by Richard Drew
Richard Drew, a 3M laboratory researcher who observed automotive painters struggling with imprecise color boundary masking, develops a pressure-sensitive masking tape that allows clean paint line definition without surface damage upon removal.
19303M
Scotch Transparent Tape Commercialized
Richard Drew extends his adhesive tape work to create a transparent, pressure-sensitive tape initially called Scotch tape.
19623M
Headquarters Moves to 3M Center in Maplewood
After 52 years in St. Paul, 3M outgrew its campus and moved its headquarters to 3M Center in Maplewood, Minnesota, where it remains.
1968TCS
TCS is founded
Tata Consultancy Services begins inside the Tata Group.
1969TCS
F.C. Kohli Joins as First CEO
F.C. Kohli is brought in on deputation to lead TCS, then a 10-consultant operation, and begins building an industrial, assembly-line approach to software delivery.
19763M
3M Added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average
3M is added to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, reflecting its status as one of the defining companies of American industrial manufacturing.
19803M
Post-it Note Launched Nationally
After a limited test market launch in 1977 and a national rollout beginning in 1980, Post-it Notes become one of the most successful new product launches in 3M history.
19963M
Imation Spin-off
3M spun off its data storage and imaging businesses as Imation Corporation, shedding about 20% of its sales in product lines such as removable storage media and photographic film.
2001TCS
CMC Limited Stake Acquired
TCS acquires a majority stake in CMC Limited from the Government of India, adding systems-integration and public-sector technology capability.
2001TCS
TCS Crosses $1 Billion in Revenue
TCS becomes the first Indian IT services company to cross $1 billion in annual revenue, cementing its position as an industry leader.
20023M
Legal Name Changed to 3M Company
On April 8, 2002, 3M's centennial year, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company changed its legal name to 3M Company, adopting the abbreviation it had long used as its brand.
2004TCS
TCS lists publicly
TCS completes its IPO and becomes one of India's most important listed technology companies.
2009TCS
TCS crosses major global scale thresholds
TCS expands globally across industries and delivery centers under new then-CEO N. Chandrasekaran.
2013TCS
N. Chandrasekaran Becomes CEO
Chandrasekaran becomes CEO, leading TCS through a period of rapid international expansion before his 2017 elevation to Tata Sons chairman.
20203M
Record N95 Respirator Production During COVID-19
3M expands N95 respirator production capacity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately producing more than 2.5 billion respirators between January 2020 and year-end 2021.
2020TCS
F.C. Kohli Passes Away
F.C. Kohli, TCS co-founder and first CEO, dies at age 96, having lived to see the company he helped build become one of the worlds largest IT services firms.
20233M
Landmark PFAS and Combat Arms Settlements Announced
3M announces separate landmark settlements addressing its two largest litigation liabilities: a $10.3 billion settlement with municipalities across the United States over PFAS water contamination, to be paid over thirteen years, and a $6.01 billion settlement…
2023TCS
K. Krithivasan becomes CEO
K. Krithivasan becomes CEO and managing director of TCS, succeeding Rajesh Gopinathan.
20243M
Solventum Healthcare Spinoff Completed
3M completes the spinoff of its healthcare business segment into a separately listed public company named Solventum Corporation in April 2024.
20243M
William Brown Appointed CEO
William M. Brown, former chair and CEO of L3Harris Technologies, becomes 3M's Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2024, succeeding Mike Roman, who became executive chairman.
2026TCS
FY2026 revenue is reported
TCS reports FY2026 revenue of $30.017B and net margin of 19.8%.
2026TCS
Q1 FY2027 AI run-rate grows
TCS reports Q1 FY2027 revenue of $7.624B and annualized AI revenue of $2.6B.
2026TCS
Tata Sons chairman succession opens
On August 12, 2026, N. Chandrasekaran said he would not seek another term as Tata Sons chairman after February 2027; TCS shares fell about 4% on the news.
Acquisitions
3M
- M*Modal (technology business)2019$1B
- Acelity (KCI)2019$6.7B
- Scott Safety2017$2B
- Capital Safety Group2015$2.5B
- Cogent Systems2010$943M
- Aearo Technologies2008$1.2B
TCS
- W12 Studios2018Undisclosed
- Citigroup Global Services2008$505M
- CMC Limited2001Undisclosed
Questions about 3M vs TCS
Who is the CEO of 3M Company and Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
3M Company is led by William M. "Bill" Brown and Tata Consultancy Services Limited is led by K Krithivasan. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was 3M Company founded vs Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
3M Company was founded in 1902 — 66 years before Tata Consultancy Services Limited, which was founded in 1968. 3M Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Tata Consultancy Services Limited.
How many employees does 3M Company have compared to Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
3M Company employs approximately 60,500 people, while Tata Consultancy Services Limited employs approximately 593,798. Tata Consultancy Services Limited has the larger workforce at 593,798 employees, compared to 3M Company's 60,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are 3M Company and Tata Consultancy Services Limited headquartered?
3M Company is headquartered in United States and Tata Consultancy Services Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded 3M Company and Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
3M Company was founded by J. Danley Budd, John Dwan, Henry S. Bryan, Hermon W. Cable, William A. McGonagle. Tata Consultancy Services Limited was founded by J.R.D. Tata, F.C. Kohli.
Which company has a longer operating history — 3M Company or Tata Consultancy Services Limited?
3M Company has been operating for approximately 124 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Tata Consultancy Services Limited has been in operation for around 58 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 3M vs TCS overview