AbbVie vs Wipro: Founders, CEOs and History
AbbVie was founded in 2013 by Abbott Laboratories (spin-off origin) and is led by Robert A. Michael. Wipro was founded in 1945 by Mohamed Hasham Premji and is led by Srini Pallia.
Company facts
Founders
AbbVie
Abbott Laboratories (spin-off origin)
Abbott Laboratories was AbbVie's corporate predecessor. AbbVie's official launch materials describe the company as formed in 2013 following separation from Abbott. Richard A.
Wipro
Mohamed Hasham Premji
Mohamed Hasham Premji incorporated Western India Vegetable Products Limited in Amalner, Maharashtra in 1945 to produce vegetable oil.
CEOs and their tenures
AbbVie
- Richard A. Gonzalez2013–2024
Founding Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Served as AbbVie's chief executive officer from its formation in 2013 through June 2024 and as executive chairman through June 2025.
Source - Robert A. Michael2024–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Became chief executive officer on July 1, 2024 and chairman on July 1, 2025. He previously led finance, commercial operations, and corporate strategy roles at AbbVie.
Source
Wipro
- Abidali Neemuchwala2016–2020
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
He led the Appirio purchase and a push into digital services. He stepped down in 2020 and Thierry Delaporte succeeded him.
Source - Rishad Premji2019–present
Executive Chairman
As Executive Chairman, he enforced a strict return-to-office mandate and publicly cracked down on employee moonlighting, prioritizing utilization rates over aggressive headcount growth.
Source - Thierry Delaporte2020–2024
CEO and Managing Director
He decentralized Wipro's operating model into four massive strategic market units, though he struggled to match the organic growth rates of rivals like TCS and Infosys before stepping down.
Source - Srini Pallia2024–present
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Leads Wipro's push for large deals, consulting-led selling, and AI-enabled delivery.
Source
Timeline: AbbVie and Wipro side by side
1945Wipro
Incorporated as Western India Vegetable Products
Mohamed Hasham Premji sets up a vegetable oil business in Amalner, Maharashtra.
1966Wipro
Azim Premji takes over
After his father's death, 21-year-old Azim Premji leaves Stanford to run the company.
2000Wipro
NYSE listing
Wipro lists American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker WIT.
2007Wipro
Acquired Infocrossing
Wipro Limited acquired Infocrossing for $600 million.
2013AbbVie
AbbVie Launches as an Independent Company
AbbVie launched after Abbott Laboratories separated its research-based pharmaceutical business and began NYSE trading under ABBV.
2013Wipro
Non-IT businesses demerged
Consumer care, lighting, and infrastructure engineering businesses move to the unlisted Wipro Enterprises.
2015AbbVie
Pharmacyclics Acquisition Completed
AbbVie completed its acquisition of Pharmacyclics, adding Imbruvica and expanding its hematologic oncology business.
2016Wipro
Appirio Acquired
Wipro bought the cloud services company Appirio in 2016 for about $500 million.
2019AbbVie
Skyrizi Receives Initial U.S. Approval
The FDA approved Skyrizi for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in April 2019.
2019AbbVie
Rinvoq Receives Initial U.S. Approval
The FDA approved Rinvoq for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in August 2019.
2019Wipro
Rishad Premji becomes Executive Chairman
Azim Premji retires from the executive role and his son Rishad Premji takes over as chairman.
2020AbbVie
Allergan Acquisition Completed
AbbVie completed the Allergan acquisition, adding neuroscience, eye care, and Allergan Aesthetics products including Botox and Juvederm.
2021Wipro
Capco acquisition completed
Wipro completes its $1.45 billion acquisition of financial services consultancy Capco.
2022Wipro
Acquired Rizing
Wipro Limited acquired Rizing for $540 million.
2023AbbVie
U.S. Humira Biosimilar Competition Begins
Humira began facing U.S. biosimilar competition, and AbbVie reported a subsequent decline in Humira revenue.
2024AbbVie
ImmunoGen Acquisition Completed
AbbVie completed its acquisition of ImmunoGen, adding Elahere and antibody-drug conjugate programs.
2024AbbVie
Robert A. Michael Becomes CEO
Robert A. Michael succeeded Richard A. Gonzalez as chief executive officer effective July 1, 2024.
2024AbbVie
Cerevel Therapeutics Acquisition Completed
AbbVie completed its acquisition of Cerevel Therapeutics, adding clinical-stage neuroscience programs.
2024Wipro
Srini Pallia named CEO
Srini Pallia succeeds Thierry Delaporte as CEO and Managing Director in April 2024.
2025AbbVie
Robert A. Michael Becomes Chairman
Robert A. Michael added the chairman role effective July 1, 2025, when Richard A. Gonzalez retired from the board.
2025AbbVie
FY2025 Revenue Reaches $61.160 Billion
AbbVie reported FY2025 net revenue of $61.160 billion and net income of $4.226 billion.
2026AbbVie
Q1 2026 Revenue Reaches $15.002 Billion
AbbVie reported first-quarter 2026 net revenue of $15.002 billion, up 12.4 percent on a reported basis.
2026Wipro
Rs 150 billion buyback approved
Alongside FY2026 results in April 2026, the board approves a Rs 150 billion share buyback.
Acquisitions
AbbVie
- ImmunoGen, Inc.2024$10.1B
- Cerevel Therapeutics2024$8.7B
- Allergan plc2020$63B
- Pharmacyclics, Inc.2015$21B
Wipro
- Harman Digital Transformation Solutions2025$375M
- Rizing2022$540M
- Capco2021$1.4B
- Appirio2016$500M
- Infocrossing2007$600M
Questions about AbbVie vs Wipro
Who is the CEO of AbbVie Inc. and Wipro Limited?
AbbVie Inc. is led by Robert A. Michael and Wipro Limited is led by Srini Pallia. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was AbbVie Inc. founded vs Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited was founded in 1945 — 68 years before AbbVie Inc., which was founded in 2013. Wipro Limited's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger AbbVie Inc..
How many employees does AbbVie Inc. have compared to Wipro Limited?
AbbVie Inc. employs approximately 57,000 people, while Wipro Limited employs approximately 228,000. Wipro Limited has the larger workforce at 228,000 employees, compared to AbbVie Inc.'s 57,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are AbbVie Inc. and Wipro Limited headquartered?
AbbVie Inc. is headquartered in United States and Wipro Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded AbbVie Inc. and Wipro Limited?
AbbVie Inc. was founded by Abbott Laboratories (spin-off origin). Wipro Limited was founded by Mohamed Hasham Premji.
Which company has a longer operating history — AbbVie Inc. or Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited has been operating for approximately 81 years, making it the more established of the two companies. AbbVie Inc. has been in operation for around 13 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 AbbVie vs Wipro overview