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Baker Hughes vs Toyota: Founders, CEOs and History

Baker Hughes was founded in 1987 by Reuben C. Baker, Howard R. Hughes Sr. and is led by Lorenzo Simonelli. Toyota was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda and is led by Kenta Kon.

Company facts

Baker Hughes

Founded
1987
Headquarters
Houston, Texas, United States
Current CEO
Lorenzo Simonelli
Employees
56,000

Toyota

Founded
1937
Headquarters
Toyota City, Aichi, Japan
Current CEO
Kenta Kon
Employees
375,235

Founders

Baker Hughes

  • Reuben C. Baker

    Baker Hughes dates from a 1987 merger, but both halves were built on early drilling patents. Reuben C. Baker was drilling in the Coalinga field in California when he patented the Baker Well Casing Shoe on July 16, 1907.

  • Howard R. Hughes Sr.

    Howard Robard Hughes Sr. (September 9, 1869 to January 14, 1924) founded Hughes Tool Company. Born in Missouri, he studied engineering and worked the Texas and Louisiana oil fields before going into partnership with Walter B. Sharp.

Baker Hughes founders in full

Toyota

  • Kiichiro Toyoda

    Kiichiro Toyoda (1894-1952) founded the Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937, spinning it out of his father's successful textile machinery business.

  • Sakichi Toyoda

    Sakichi Toyoda was not the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation but his inventions and philosophy created the foundation on which it was built. His loom patents generated the capital Kiichiro needed to experiment with automobiles.

Toyota founders in full

CEOs and their tenures

Baker Hughes

  1. James D. Woods1987–1997

    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

    James D. Woods was chief executive of Baker International and became chief executive of Baker Hughes Incorporated when the merger with Hughes Tool was formally completed in early April 1987.

    Source
  2. Max L. Lukens1997–2000

    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

    Max L. Lukens joined Baker Hughes in 1981 and served as chairman, president and chief executive from 1997 until January 2000.

    Source
  3. Michael E. Wiley2000–2004

    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

    Michael E. Wiley, previously president and chief operating officer of Atlantic Richfield, became president, chairman and chief executive of Baker Hughes effective August 14, 2000.

    Source
  4. Chad C. Deaton2004–2012

    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

    Chad C. Deaton joined Baker Hughes from Hanover Compressor and served as chairman, president and chief executive from October 2004 until January 2012, then as executive chairman from 2012 to 2013.

    Source
  5. Martin Craighead2012–2017

    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

    Martin Craighead joined Baker Hughes in 1986, became president in July 2010, chief executive in January 2012 and chairman in April 2013.

    Source
  6. Lorenzo Simonelli2017–present

    Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

    Lorenzo Simonelli has been a director, president and chief executive since the GE Oil and Gas combination closed in July 2017 and chairman since October 2017. He joined GE in 1994, led GE Transportation from July 2008 and GE Oil and Gas from October 2013.

    Source
Baker Hughes CEO history in full

Toyota

  1. Akio Toyoda2009–2023

    President and Chief Executive Officer (now Chairman)

    Akio Toyoda took leadership during one of Toyota's hardest modern periods, including the global financial crisis and the unintended acceleration recall crisis.

    Source
  2. Koji Sato2023–2026

    President and Chief Executive Officer (now Vice Chairman)

    Koji Sato inherited a profitable but scrutinized Toyota.

    Source
  3. Kenta Kon2026–present

    President and Chief Executive Officer

    As CFO, he managed the immense capital allocation required for Toyota's massive $35 billion commitment to fully electrify its vehicle lineup by 2030.

    Source
Toyota CEO history in full

Timeline: Baker Hughes and Toyota side by side

  1. 1907Baker Hughes

    Reuben C. Baker patents the Well Casing Shoe

    On July 16, 1907, Reuben Carlton Baker was granted U.S. Patent No. 860,115 for the Well Casing Shoe, a device that kept oil flowing while casing was run into a well.

  2. 1909Baker Hughes

    Howard R. Hughes Sr. patents the two-cone roller drill bit

    Howard R. Hughes Sr., working with Walter B. Sharp, tested a dual-cone roller bit on a rig at Goose Creek, Texas, and was granted U.S. patents on August 10, 1909.

  3. 1913Baker Hughes

    Baker Casing Shoe Company founded in Coalinga, California

    Baker created the Baker Casing Shoe Company to manufacture and license his casing accessories. The design of the Baker casing shoe stayed essentially unchanged for about 40 years and the business became a pillar of the emerging oilfield service sector.

  4. 1915Baker Hughes

    Sharp-Hughes renamed Hughes Tool Company

    Walter B. Sharp died in 1912 and Hughes acquired his partner stake. The business was renamed Hughes Tool Company in 1915. Its rock bits funded the fortune later inherited by Howard Hughes Jr.

  5. 1928Baker Hughes

    Baker Casing Shoe Company renamed Baker Oil Tools

    The company was renamed Baker Oil Tools, Inc. as it widened its range from casing shoes into well completion and production equipment.

  6. 1937Toyota

    Toyota Motor Corporation incorporated

    Toyota Motor Corporation was incorporated after Kiichiro Toyoda expanded the Toyoda family business from automatic looms into automobile manufacturing.

  7. 1955Toyota

    Toyopet Crown launched

    The Toyopet Crown gave Toyota a postwar passenger-car platform and later became its first passenger car exported to the United States.

  8. 1966Toyota

    Corolla launched

    Toyota launched the Corolla, a compact car that became central to its mass-market export strategy.

  9. 1976Baker Hughes

    Baker Oil Tools reorganised as Baker International Corporation

    The Baker businesses were reorganised under the Baker International Corporation holding company, the entity that would merge with Hughes Tool eleven years later.

  10. 1987Baker Hughes

    Baker International and Hughes Tool merge to form Baker Hughes Incorporated

    The merger was formally completed in early April 1987 once a Justice Department consent decree was signed and filed, and the Los Angeles Times reported the combination at about $1.2 billion. James D.

  11. 1989Toyota

    Lexus launches

    Toyota launched Lexus with the LS 400, moving into premium vehicles with a quality-led strategy.

  12. 1990Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes buys Eastman Christensen

    Baker Hughes acquired Eastman Christensen, a specialist in directional drilling equipment and measurement-while-drilling tools. The capability became the core of what is now the Well Construction product line.

  13. 1997Toyota

    Prius launches in Japan

    Toyota launched the Prius, turning hybrid technology into a mass-produced passenger vehicle.

  14. 1998Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes acquires Western Atlas in a $5.5 billion merger

    Baker Hughes and Western Atlas signed a definitive merger agreement valued at $5.5 billion in May 1998, adding seismic acquisition, wireline logging and reservoir evaluation. The Western Atlas wireline division became Baker Atlas.

  15. 2000Baker Hughes

    Michael E. Wiley becomes chairman, president and chief executive

    After Max L. Lukens resigned in January 2000 and director Joe B. Foster served as interim chairman, president and chief executive, Baker Hughes named former ARCO executive Michael Wiley as president, chairman and chief executive effective August 14, 2000.

  16. 2006Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes exits the WesternGeco seismic joint venture

    Schlumberger bought the Baker Hughes 30% interest in the WesternGeco seismic joint venture for $2.4 billion, ending the partnership formed in 2000 and removing seismic acquisition from the Baker Hughes portfolio.

  17. 2007Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes pays $44.1 million to settle Kazakhstan bribery charges

    On April 26, 2007, subsidiary Baker Hughes Services International pleaded guilty to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations and paid an $11 million criminal fine for payments routed to an official in connection with the Karachaganak field in Kazakhstan.

  18. 2010Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes completes the $5.5 billion BJ Services acquisition

    Baker Hughes closed its cash-and-stock acquisition of pressure pumping and cementing company BJ Services on April 28, 2010. The Justice Department required the divestiture of BJ vessel-based stimulation assets in the U.S.

  19. 2014Baker Hughes

    Halliburton agrees to buy Baker Hughes for $34.6 billion

    On November 17, 2014, Halliburton and Baker Hughes announced a definitive stock-and-cash agreement valued at $34.6 billion. The deal drew antitrust review in the United States and Europe almost immediately.

  20. 2016Baker Hughes

    Halliburton deal abandoned and Halliburton pays a $3.5 billion fee

    The Justice Department sued on April 6, 2016, to block the combination. The companies terminated the merger agreement on May 1, 2016, and Halliburton paid Baker Hughes the $3.5 billion termination fee by May 4, 2016.

  21. 2016Toyota

    Acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.

    Toyota Motor acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd..

  22. 2017Baker Hughes

    Baker Hughes combines with GE Oil and Gas; Lorenzo Simonelli becomes CEO

    The combination closed on July 3, 2017, creating Baker Hughes, a GE company. Baker Hughes shareholders received a special cash dividend of $17.50 per share and 37.5% of the new company, with GE holding 62.5%.

  23. 2019Baker Hughes

    Company renamed Baker Hughes Company and GE drops below a majority stake

    GE sold shares in September 2019 for about $2.7 billion in net proceeds, cutting its holding to roughly 38.4%.

  24. 2021Baker Hughes

    Stock listing moves from the New York Stock Exchange to Nasdaq

    Baker Hughes announced on October 27, 2021 that it would move its Class A common stock and listed bonds to the Nasdaq Global Select Market, and trading there began on December 7, 2021 under the same BKR ticker.

  25. 2021Toyota

    Acquired Lyft Level 5

    Toyota Motor acquired Lyft Level 5 for $550 million.

  26. 2021Toyota

    Acquired CARMERA

    Toyota Motor acquired CARMERA.

  27. 2022Baker Hughes

    GE ownership ends and Baker Hughes suspends most Russian activity

    The 2022 Form 10-K states that GE no longer had an economic interest in Baker Hughes Holdings LLC as of December 31, 2022, down from 11.4% a year earlier.

  28. 2025Baker Hughes

    Record FY2025 adjusted EBITDA, orders and free cash flow

    Revenue was $27.733B, roughly flat against $27.829B in 2024, with attributable net income of $2.588B. Adjusted EBITDA reached a record $4,825M, orders a record $29,585M including a record $14,871M at IET, and free cash flow a record $2,732M.

  29. 2026Baker Hughes

    Chart Industries acquired and two businesses divested

    Baker Hughes completed its $13.6 billion acquisition of Chart Industries on July 16, 2026 and set it up as a third reporting segment led by senior vice president Jim Apostolides, targeting $325 million of annualised cost synergies within three years.

  30. 2026Toyota

    Kenta Kon becomes president and CEO

    Kenta Kon became president and CEO on April 1, 2026, while Koji Sato moved to vice chairman and chief industry officer.

  31. 2026Toyota

    FY2026 sales revenues reach ~$340B (JPY 50.685T)

    Toyota reported FY2026 sales revenues of ~$340 billion (JPY 50,684.952 billion) and net income attributable to Toyota Motor Corporation of ~$25.8 billion (JPY 3,848.098 billion).

Acquisitions

Baker Hughes

  • Chart Industries, Inc.2026$13.6B
  • Continental Disc Corporation2025$540M
  • GE Oil and Gas2017$7.4B
  • BJ Services Company2010$5.5B
  • Western Atlas Inc.1998$5.5B
  • Eastman Christensen1990Undisclosed
All Baker Hughes acquisitions

Toyota

  • Lyft Level 52021$550M
  • CARMERA2021Undisclosed
  • Renovo Motors2021Undisclosed
  • Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.2016Undisclosed
  • Toyota Auto Body2012Undisclosed
All Toyota acquisitions

Questions about Baker Hughes vs Toyota

Who is the CEO of Baker Hughes Company and Toyota Motor Corporation?

Baker Hughes Company is led by Lorenzo Simonelli and Toyota Motor Corporation is led by Kenta Kon. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.

When was Baker Hughes Company founded vs Toyota Motor Corporation?

Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in 1937 — 50 years before Baker Hughes Company, which was founded in 1987. Toyota Motor Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Baker Hughes Company.

How many employees does Baker Hughes Company have compared to Toyota Motor Corporation?

Baker Hughes Company employs approximately 56,000 people, while Toyota Motor Corporation employs approximately 375,235. Toyota Motor Corporation has the larger workforce at 375,235 employees, compared to Baker Hughes Company's 56,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).

Where are Baker Hughes Company and Toyota Motor Corporation headquartered?

Baker Hughes Company is headquartered in United States and Toyota Motor Corporation is headquartered in Japan. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.

Who founded Baker Hughes Company and Toyota Motor Corporation?

Baker Hughes Company was founded by Reuben C. Baker, Howard R. Hughes Sr.. Toyota Motor Corporation was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda.

Which company has a longer operating history — Baker Hughes Company or Toyota Motor Corporation?

Toyota Motor Corporation has been operating for approximately 89 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Baker Hughes Company has been in operation for around 39 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 Baker Hughes vs Toyota overview

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.