BMW vs ICICI Bank: Founders, CEOs and History
BMW was founded in 1916 by Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto and is led by Milan Nedeljković. ICICI Bank was founded in 1994 by Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India and is led by Sandeep Bakhshi.
Company facts
BMW
- Founded
- 1916
- Headquarters
- Munich, Germany
- Current CEO
- Milan Nedeljković
- Employees
- 154,540
ICICI Bank
- Founded
- 1994
- Headquarters
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Current CEO
- Sandeep Bakhshi
- Employees
- 124,029
Founders
BMW
Karl Rapp
Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) traces its foundational roots not to automobiles, but to the skies above Germany during the First World War.
Gustav Otto
Gustav Otto's importance lies in the aviation world that made BMW possible. He founded an aircraft manufacturing company before BMW became associated with motorcycles or cars, and his operations formed part of the Bavarian industrial environment from which BMW…
ICICI Bank
Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India
The Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) was established in 1955 at the initiative of the World Bank, the Government of India, and representatives of Indian industry.
CEOs and their tenures
BMW
- Eberhard von Kuenheim1970–1993
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
BMW's longest-serving chief executive turned a mainly German carmaker into an international premium brand, launching the 3 Series (1975) and 7 Series (1977) and completing the 'Four Cylinder' headquarters tower in Munich.
Source - Norbert Reithofer2006–2015
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Serving as CEO from 2006 to 2015, he maintained BMW's status as the world's best-selling premium automaker and spearheaded the company's early, massive investments in electrification.
Source - Harald Krüger2015–2019
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Krüger led BMW from May 2015 to August 2019, a period that included the launch of the X7 and the preparation of flexible vehicle architectures.
Source - Oliver Zipse2019–2026
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Zipse joined BMW in 1991 and led the group from 16 August 2019 to 13 May 2026, concluding 35 years with the company.
Source - Milan Nedeljković2026–present
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)
Took over from Oliver Zipse on 14 May 2026 after a career that began as a BMW trainee in 1993 and included senior roles at Plant Oxford, managing director of Plants Leipzig and Munich, senior vice president Corporate Quality and, from 2019, board member for Pr…
Source
ICICI Bank
- K V Kamath1996–2009
CEO & Managing Director
Kamath built ICICI's reputation for technology-led banking, early ATMs, internet banking, and retail credit, and oversaw the 2002 reverse merger that created the modern bank.
Source - Chanda Kochhar2009–2018
CEO & Managing Director
Kochhar expanded ICICI Bank's retail franchise and brand reach, but her tenure ended amid the Videocon controversy and a sharp rise in bad corporate loans.
Source - Sandeep Bakhshi2018–present
Managing Director & CEO
Bakhshi is credited with restoring investor and regulator trust after 2018 and turning ICICI Bank into a lower-risk, steadily compounding lender, with net NPAs around 0.3% in 2026.
Source
Timeline: BMW and ICICI Bank side by side
1916BMW
Official Foundation Date
BMW traces its official foundation date to 7 March 1916 through Bayerische Flugzeug-Werke AG. The origin matters because the business began in aircraft and engine manufacturing before it ever sold cars.
1923BMW
BMW R 32 Motorcycle Launch
The R 32 gave BMW its first branded motorcycle and a recognizable engineering signature around the boxer engine and shaft drive. It turned aircraft-engine know-how into a consumer product after aviation restrictions changed the company's market.
1928BMW
Entry Into Automobiles Through Eisenach
BMW became an automobile manufacturer by purchasing Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach. The deal gave the company an existing carmaking base and moved it beyond engines and motorcycles into the larger passenger-car market.
1955ICICI Bank
ICICI Founded as Development-Finance Institution
ICICI was formed to provide medium- and long-term project finance to Indian businesses.
1961BMW
New Class Breakthrough
The BMW 1500 New Class sedan filled a market gap and helped restore BMW as a successful modern carmaker. Its sporty sedan formula became a foundation for the later performance-premium identity.
1994BMW
Rover Group Acquisition
BMW bought Rover Group to broaden its model range, but the integration did not meet expectations and most of Rover was sold in 2000. The episode mattered because it pushed BMW back toward disciplined premium positioning while MINI remained inside the group.
1994ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank Incorporated
ICICI Bank was incorporated as part of the ICICI group during India's post-liberalization banking opening. The move gave ICICI a deposit-taking commercial bank able to serve retail, corporate, and transaction-banking customers.
1998BMW
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Rights Acquired
BMW obtained the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars brand and naming rights in 1998 and took full responsibility for the marque from 2003. The deal expanded the group upward into ultra-luxury without forcing the BMW badge to carry that role.
1999ICICI Bank
NYSE Listing Milestone
ICICI became the first Indian company and the first bank or financial institution from non-Japan Asia to list on the New York Stock Exchange. The listing expanded global visibility and imposed a higher disclosure profile on the group.
2001ICICI Bank
Bank of Madura Amalgamation
Bank of Madura was amalgamated with ICICI Bank with effect from March 10, 2001. The deal added branches, customers, and a southern India presence that helped the young bank build distribution faster than organic expansion alone.
2002ICICI Bank
Reverse Merger Created Universal Bank
ICICI, ICICI Personal Financial Services, and ICICI Capital Services merged into ICICI Bank.
2010ICICI Bank
Bank of Rajasthan Merger
The Bank of Rajasthan merger strengthened ICICI Bank's branch network, especially in northern and western India. The transaction mattered because local branches and deposits still supported private-bank scale even as digital channels were growing.
2011BMW
BMW i Sub-Brand Announced
BMW announced the BMW i sub-brand with the i3 and i8 planned as its first models. The program gave the group an early platform for electric mobility, lightweight materials, and sustainability-focused manufacturing ideas.
2018ICICI Bank
Sandeep Bakhshi Became MD and CEO
Sandeep Bakhshi became Managing Director and CEO in October 2018 after Chanda Kochhar requested early retirement. His tenure has been associated with a sharper focus on risk controls, asset quality, governance, and steady retail-led growth.
2019BMW
Oliver Zipse Became Chairman
Oliver Zipse became Chairman of the Board of Management on 16 August 2019 and served until 13 May 2026. His tenure was defined by the technology-open strategy, the Neue Klasse programme and flexible production across powertrains.
2023BMW
~$176B (EUR 155.498B) Revenue Year
BMW Group revenue reached ~$176B (EUR 155.498B) in 2023, the highest annual revenue in the recent report period shown here. That peak set a demanding comparison base for the weaker 2024 and 2025 revenue years.
2025BMW
FY2025 Revenue and Deliveries
BMW Group reported ~$151B (EUR 133.453B) in revenue and 2,463,681 automotive deliveries in FY2025. The result showed stable unit scale but weaker revenue and margin conditions, especially as China, tariffs, currency, and EV costs affected the business.
2025BMW
Neue Klasse iX3 World Premiere
The fully electric BMW iX3, the first Neue Klasse model, premiered at the IAA in Munich in September 2025. It is built in Debrecen, Hungary, and European customer deliveries began in March 2026.
2025ICICI Bank
FY2025 Balance Sheet Scale
The FY2025 integrated report listed Rs 16,103.48B in deposits, Rs 13,417.66B in loans and advances, Rs 21,182.40B in standalone total assets, and a 16.55% capital adequacy ratio.
2025ICICI Bank
FY2025 Profitability
ICICI Bank reported Rs 472.27B in standalone profit after tax and Rs 510.29B in consolidated profit after tax for FY2025. Profitability matters because the bank has to fund technology, compliance, provisions, and growth while keeping capital strong.
2025ICICI Bank
IMobile and Card Scale
IMobile processed 558M transactions worth Rs 11,238B in FY2025, and the bank had close to 18M active credit cards at March 31, 2025.
2026BMW
Capital Market Day Reset Plan
On 30 September 2026 BMW set a 3-5% automotive EBIT margin target for 2028 and 8-10% by the start of the next decade, alongside fewer variants, a first BMW ALPINA model in 2027 and a compact Neue Klasse EV for Europe in 2028.
2026BMW
Profit Warning on China Downturn
On 16 June 2026 BMW cut its 2026 automotive EBIT margin guidance to 1-3% from 4-6%. Q2 automotive margin came in at 2.3% and China deliveries fell 30.2% in the quarter.
2026BMW
Milan Nedeljković Became CEO
Milan Nedeljković succeeded Oliver Zipse as Chairman of the Board of Management on 14 May 2026, the day after the 106th Annual General Meeting, which also approved converting all preferred shares into ordinary shares.
2026ICICI Bank
Q1 FY2027 Profit Up 15.9%
Standalone profit rose 15.9% to Rs 14,805 crore for April-June 2026, with net interest income up 12.7% and net NPAs at 0.35%.
2026ICICI Bank
Bakhshi Reappointed to 2028
The RBI approved Sandeep Bakhshi's reappointment as MD and CEO for two years from October 4, 2026.
2026ICICI Bank
FY2026 Profit Crosses Rs 50,000 Crore
Standalone net profit rose 6.2% to Rs 50,146.6 crore in FY2026, with a 4.32% net interest margin and 15.8% loan growth.
Acquisitions
BMW
- ALPINA brand2022Undisclosed
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars1998$66M
- Rover Group1994$1.2B
- Mini brand1994Undisclosed
ICICI Bank
- Bank of Rajasthan2010Undisclosed
- The Sangli Bank2007Undisclosed
- Bank of Madura2001Undisclosed
- Anagram Finance1998Undisclosed
- ITC Classic Finance1997Undisclosed
Questions about BMW vs ICICI Bank
Who is the CEO of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and ICICI Bank Limited?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is led by Milan Nedeljković and ICICI Bank Limited is led by Sandeep Bakhshi. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Bayerische Motoren Werke AG founded vs ICICI Bank Limited?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was founded in 1916 — 78 years before ICICI Bank Limited, which was founded in 1994. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger ICICI Bank Limited.
How many employees does Bayerische Motoren Werke AG have compared to ICICI Bank Limited?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG employs approximately 154,540 people, while ICICI Bank Limited employs approximately 124,029. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG has the larger workforce at 154,540 employees, compared to ICICI Bank Limited's 124,029. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and ICICI Bank Limited headquartered?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is headquartered in Germany and ICICI Bank Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and ICICI Bank Limited?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG was founded by Karl Rapp, Gustav Otto. ICICI Bank Limited was founded by Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India.
Which company has a longer operating history — Bayerische Motoren Werke AG or ICICI Bank Limited?
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG has been operating for approximately 110 years, making it the more established of the two companies. ICICI Bank Limited has been in operation for around 32 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 BMW vs ICICI Bank overview