Boeing vs NEC: Founders, CEOs and History
Boeing was founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, George Conrad Westervelt and is led by Kelly Ortberg. NEC was founded in 1899 by Kunihiko Iwadare and is led by Takayuki Morita.
Company facts
Founders
Boeing
William E. Boeing
The Boeing Company was founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, a wealthy timber merchant, and George Conrad Westervelt, an US Navy engineer.
George Conrad Westervelt
George Conrad Westervelt occupies an unusual position in aviation history: a co-founder of what became the world's largest aerospace company who departed before the company was officially incorporated and whose subsequent contributions to aviation, while disti…
NEC
Kunihiko Iwadare
Kunihiko Iwadare founded NEC (Nippon Electric Company) in 1899. After working for Thomas Edison in New York, he returned to Japan and formed a highly strategic joint venture with Western Electric, creating Japan's very first joint venture with foreign capital.…
CEOs and their tenures
Boeing
- William McPherson Allen1945–1968
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO for 16 years, he transitioned Boeing from a purely military bomber manufacturer into the undisputed global leader in commercial jet aviation, launching the 707, 727, 737, and 747.
Source - Thornton Wilson1969–1986
Chief Executive Officer
He saved the company from imminent bankruptcy during the catastrophic 'Boeing Bust' of 1969-1971 by ruthlessly cutting the workforce from 100,000 to 38,000 (the infamous 'Turn Out the Lights' era).
Source - Frank Shrontz1986–1996
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO through the late 1980s and 1990s, he pushed the company toward massive lean manufacturing initiatives and initiated the highly controversial merger with McDonnell Douglas.
Source - Philip M. Condit1996–2003
Chief Executive Officer
An engineer who led the 777 program, became CEO in 1996, completed the McDonnell Douglas merger in 1997 and moved headquarters from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. He resigned in December 2003 amid the tanker procurement scandal.
Source - Harry Stonecipher2003–2005
Chief Executive Officer
The former McDonnell Douglas CEO returned from retirement in December 2003 after Phil Condit resigned over the Air Force tanker-lease scandal. The board forced him out in March 2005 over a relationship with a female executive that broke company policy.
Source - James McNerney2005–2015
Chief Executive Officer
A former 3M chief executive hired in July 2005. He oversaw the 787 Dreamliner's delayed entry into service in 2011, launched the 737 MAX (2011) and 777X (2013), and pushed suppliers and labor hard on cost.
Source - James A. Bell2005–2005
Chief Executive Officer
He strictly enforced capital discipline during the 2008 financial crisis, ensuring Boeing retained the massive liquidity required to fund its commercial and defense pipelines.
Source - Dennis Muilenburg2015–2019
Chief Executive Officer
A Boeing engineer who became CEO in July 2015 and chairman in 2016. He led the company through the Lion Air (2018) and Ethiopian Airlines (2019) 737 MAX crashes and the worldwide grounding, and was fired in December 2019.
Source - Dave Calhoun2020–2024
Chief Executive Officer
A Boeing director and former GE executive who took over in January 2020 after Dennis Muilenburg was fired.
Source - Kelly Ortberg2024–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ortberg became Boeing's president and CEO on August 8, 2024, recruited from outside after more than 35 years in aerospace, including running Rockwell Collins as CEO from 2013 through its sale to United Technologies (later RTX).
Source
NEC
- Koji Kobayashi1964–1988
Former CEO and Chairman
Kobayashi's C&C concept became closely associated with his name across the global electronics industry and guided NEC's investment into semiconductors and mainframe computing, helping make NEC one of the world's largest chipmakers and computer manufacturers du…
Source - Takayuki Morita2021–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
His tenure has focused on repositioning NEC away from its historical dependence on domestic telecom-equipment and PC hardware sales toward recurring software, cybersecurity, and biometric-identification revenue, an area where NEC has long-standing technology b…
Source
Timeline: Boeing and NEC side by side
1899NEC
Nippon Electric Company Founded
Kunihiko Iwadare, the Japanese sales agent for Western Electric, and W.T. Carleton, head of Western Electric's Tokyo branch, establish NEC on July 17, 1899, making it one of the first Japanese companies built on direct ties to an American electrical manufactur…
1916Boeing
Pacific Aero Products Company Incorporated
William Boeing incorporates Pacific Aero Products Co. on July 15, 1916 in Seattle, a month after the B&W seaplane he built with George Conrad Westervelt first flew from Lake Union on June 15.
1917Boeing
Renamed The Boeing Airplane Company; First Military Contract
The company is renamed The Boeing Airplane Company in April 1917 following co-founder George Westervelt's return to active Navy duty, and secures its first meaningful military contract when the U.S. Navy orders the improved Model C floatplane.
1927Boeing
Boeing Air Transport Wins San Francisco-Chicago Airmail Route
Boeing forms Boeing Air Transport and wins the U.S. Post Office airmail contract for the San Francisco to Chicago route, the most commercially valuable domestic airmail route, initiating Boeing's involvement in commercial aviation beyond manufacturing.
1933Boeing
Boeing 247 Introduced as the First Modern Airliner
Boeing introduces the Model 247, widely recognized as the world's first modern commercial airliner, featuring all-metal construction, retractable landing gear, a cantilevered wing, and variable-pitch propellers.
1954Boeing
Dash 80 Jet Prototype First Flies
The 367-80, or Dash 80, first flies on July 15, 1954, the company's 38th anniversary. Funded with about $16 million of Boeing's own money, it leads to the KC-135 tanker for the Air Force and the 707 airliner, which enters service with Pan Am in 1958.
1958NEC
Computer Expansion
NEC expands from communications equipment into computers and enterprise technology.
1969Boeing
Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet Makes First Flight
The 747, the first wide-body jetliner, first flies on February 9, 1969 and enters service with Pan Am in January 1970.
1982NEC
C&C Strategy
NEC promotes the integration of computers and communications as a strategic identity.
1994Boeing
Boeing 777 First Flight
The Boeing 777, the world's largest twin-engine commercial aircraft and the first airliner designed entirely using computer-aided design tools without physical mock-ups, makes its inaugural flight on June 12, 1994.
1994NEC
Acquired Packard Bell
NEC acquired Packard Bell. NEC acquired Packard Bell in 1994.
1997Boeing
Boeing Merges with McDonnell Douglas
Boeing completes its $13.3 billion acquisition of McDonnell Douglas, creating a single dominant American aerospace and defense company and ending more than two decades of three-way commercial aircraft competition.
2009Boeing
Boeing 787 Dreamliner First Flight
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the first commercial aircraft built primarily from carbon-fiber composite materials, makes its first flight on December 15, 2009 more than two years behind its original 2007 schedule following extensive supply chain difficulties with…
2011NEC
PC Joint Venture with Lenovo
NEC restructures its PC business through a joint venture with Lenovo.
2018NEC
Acquired Northgate Public Services
NEC acquired Northgate Public Services for $645 million. NEC acquired UK-based Northgate Public Services from private-equity owner Cinven for about 475 million (roughly $645 million) to expand its digital-government software business into the British public se…
2019Boeing
737 MAX Grounded Worldwide Following Two Fatal Crashes
After the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in October 2018 and the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash in March 2019, which killed 346 people, regulators ground the 737 MAX worldwide.
2021NEC
Takayuki Morita Becomes President and CEO
Takayuki Morita, previously CFO, becomes NEC president and CEO on April 1, 2021.
2022Boeing
Boeing Relocates Corporate Headquarters to Arlington, Virginia
Boeing formally moves its corporate headquarters from Chicago, Illinois, to Arlington, Virginia, placing its senior executive team adjacent to the Pentagon and within close proximity to Congress and the regulatory agencies that govern both its defense and comm…
2024Boeing
Door-Plug Blowout, Machinists Strike, and Leadership Transition
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experiences a door-plug blowout at 16,000 feet on January 5, triggering a FAA production cap on 737 MAX and a congressional investigation into Boeing's quality management.
2024NEC
BluStellar Strategy Launched
NEC introduces BluStellar, a value-creation model applying AI -- including a partnership integrating Anthropic's Claude -- across its IT Services and Social Infrastructure businesses.
2025Boeing
F-47 Win, Strike in St. Louis, Spirit Buyback and a Return to Profit
The Air Force selects Boeing's F-47 as its sixth-generation fighter in March. Boeing sells Jeppesen and other digital units to Thoma Bravo for $10.55 billion, the FAA raises the 737 cap to 42 a month in October, a 102-day strike at St.
2026Boeing
737-7 Certified, F/A-XX Win and a 737-10 Setback
Backlog reaches a record $715 billion at June 30. The FAA certifies the 737-7 on August 3, then on September 28 holds 737-10 certification over a flight-management software issue. On September 29 the Navy selects Boeing to build the F/A-XX fighter.
2026NEC
FY26/3 Revenue Reaches ~$24 billion (3.5827 Trillion Yen)
NEC reports higher revenue and record profit margins, with IT Services and Social Infrastructure as the key businesses.
Acquisitions
Boeing
- Spirit AeroSystems2025$4.7B
- Aurora Flight Sciences2017Undisclosed
- Aviall2006$1.7B
- Jeppesen Sanderson2000$1.5B
- Hughes Electronics (space and communications business)2000$3.8B
- McDonnell Douglas1997$13.3B
Questions about Boeing vs NEC
Who is the CEO of The Boeing Company and NEC Corporation?
The Boeing Company is led by Kelly Ortberg and NEC Corporation is led by Takayuki Morita. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Boeing Company founded vs NEC Corporation?
NEC Corporation was founded in 1899 — 17 years before The Boeing Company, which was founded in 1916. NEC Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger The Boeing Company.
How many employees does The Boeing Company have compared to NEC Corporation?
The Boeing Company employs approximately 182,000 people, while NEC Corporation employs approximately 101,800. The Boeing Company has the larger workforce at 182,000 employees, compared to NEC Corporation's 101,800. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Boeing Company and NEC Corporation headquartered?
The Boeing Company is headquartered in United States and NEC Corporation is headquartered in Japan. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded The Boeing Company and NEC Corporation?
The Boeing Company was founded by William E. Boeing, George Conrad Westervelt. NEC Corporation was founded by Kunihiko Iwadare.
Which company has a longer operating history — The Boeing Company or NEC Corporation?
NEC Corporation has been operating for approximately 127 years, making it the more established of the two companies. The Boeing Company has been in operation for around 110 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 Boeing vs NEC overview