BP vs Xiaomi: Founders, CEOs and History
BP was founded in 1909 by William Knox D'Arcy, Charles Greenway and is led by Meg O'Neill. Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by Lei Jun, Lin Bin and is led by Lei Jun.
Company facts
Founders
BP
William Knox D'Arcy
William Knox D'Arcy (1849-1917) financed the search that created BP. In 1901 he obtained a 60-year concession from the Shah of Persia to explore for and produce oil across about three-quarters of the country, paying £20,000 in cash, £20,000 in shares and 16% o…
Charles Greenway
Charles Greenway (1857-1934) was not among the 1909 incorporators but became the executive who turned Anglo-Persian into a working oil company.
Xiaomi
Lei Jun
Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 and is its chairman and CEO. He set the company's early strategy of selling well-specified phones online at low prices, built the MIUI user community, and later led Xiaomi's 2018 Hong Kong listing.
Lin Bin
Lin Bin co-founded Xiaomi in 2010 and served as its president, overseeing early phone development and supply-chain relationships. He handed the president role to others in 2019 and continued as vice chairman of the board.
CEOs and their tenures
BP
- Sir John Browne1995–2007
Chief Executive Officer (former)
John Browne (later Lord Browne of Madingley) turned BP into a global supermajor through the acquisitions of Amoco (1998), ARCO (2000) and Burmah Castrol (2000).
Source - Tony Hayward2007–2010
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Tony Hayward, a geologist who joined BP in 1982 and ran its exploration and production business, succeeded John Browne in May 2007 and promised to fix BP's safety culture after Texas City.
Source - Bob Dudley2010–2020
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Bob Dudley, an American who began his career at Amoco and previously ran the TNK-BP joint venture in Russia, was BP's first American CEO, serving from October 2010 to February 2020.
Source - Bernard Looney2020–2023
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Bernard Looney's three-and-a-half-year tenure as CEO was defined by the most ambitious energy transition strategy ever articulated by a major oil company and ended in its most dramatic leadership dismissal.
Source - Murray Auchincloss2024–2025
Chief Executive Officer (former)
Murray Auchincloss, a Canadian who joined Amoco in 1992 and became BP's CFO in 2020, was interim CEO after Bernard Looney's September 2023 exit and permanent CEO from January 2024.
Source - Carol Howle2025–2026
Interim Chief Executive Officer (former)
Carol Howle, BP's executive vice president for supply, trading and shipping, served as interim CEO from December 2025, when Murray Auchincloss stepped down, until Meg O'Neill joined on April 1, 2026.
Source - Meg O'Neill2026–present
Chief Executive Officer
Meg O'Neill, an American engineer who spent more than two decades at ExxonMobil and ran Australia's Woodside Energy from 2021, became BP's chief executive on April 1, 2026, the first woman to lead the company.
Source
Xiaomi
- Lei Jun2010–present
Founder, Chairman and CEO
Sets Xiaomi's product and ecosystem strategy and leads the EV business.
Source - Lin Bin2010–present
Co-founder and Vice Chairman
Co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun and served as president during its early growth before moving to the vice chairman role.
Source - Lu Weibing2022–present
President
Runs day-to-day operations of the group, having earlier led the Redmi brand and international business.
Source
Timeline: BP and Xiaomi side by side
1901BP
D'Arcy Persian Concession
William Knox D'Arcy obtains a 60-year oil concession from the Shah of Persia covering about 480,000 square miles, roughly three-quarters of the country, in exchange for £20,000 in cash, £20,000 in shares and 16% of annual profits.
1908BP
Discovery of Oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman
After seven years of expensive and largely unsuccessful drilling, field manager George Reynolds strikes oil at Masjid-i-Suleiman in south-west Persia on May 26, 1908. It is the first commercial oil discovery in the Middle East.
1909BP
Anglo-Persian Oil Company Incorporated
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company is formally incorporated in April 1909, with William Knox D'Arcy and the Burmah Oil Company as principal backers.
1914BP
British Government Acquires 51% Stake
At the urging of Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, the British government pays ~$2.9 million (£2.2 million) for a 51% stake in Anglo-Persian and signs a long-term fuel-oil supply contract for the Royal Navy, which is converting its fleet from coa…
1954BP
Renamed British Petroleum
Following the 1953 resolution of the Iranian nationalization crisis and the Shah's restoration to power, the company renames itself British Petroleum Company.
1970BP
North Sea Forties Field Discovery
BP discovers the Forties field in the UK North Sea, one of the largest oil fields ever found in British waters. Together with Alaska's Prudhoe Bay, it gives BP politically secure production just as Middle Eastern governments take control of their oil.
1987BP
UK Government Privatization Complete
The Thatcher government completes the privatization of its remaining 31.5% stake in BP through a global share offering timed for October 1987 weeks before the global stock market crash known as Black Monday disrupted the sale and left underwriters with unsold…
1998BP
Merger with Amoco Corporation
BP merges with Chicago-based Amoco Corporation in a deal valued at approximately $48.2 billion the largest industrial merger in history at the time.
2000BP
Beyond Petroleum Rebrand
Under then-CEO Sir John Browne, BP launches the 'Beyond Petroleum' rebranding campaign, introducing the sunflower logo still in use today and publicly positioning the company as an energy company committed to addressing climate change.
2010BP
Deepwater Horizon Disaster
The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, operating on the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico under contract to BP, suffers a catastrophic blowout on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the largest marine oil spill in US history approximately 4.9 milli…
2010Xiaomi
Xiaomi Founded
Lei Jun and seven co-founders establish Xiaomi in Beijing and release the MIUI Android software.
2011Xiaomi
Mi 1 Launches
Xiaomi launches its first smartphone, sold online.
2014Xiaomi
India Entry and $45B Valuation
Xiaomi enters India and raises funding at a reported $45B valuation.
2018Xiaomi
Hong Kong IPO
Xiaomi lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 1810 with a weighted voting rights structure.
2020BP
Net-Zero Commitment and Dividend Cut
Under new CEO Bernard Looney, BP sets a net-zero ambition for 2050 and, in August 2020, pledges to cut oil and gas production by 40% by 2030 and raise low-carbon investment to about $5 billion a year.
2021Xiaomi
EV Entry Announced
Xiaomi announces it will build electric vehicles and sets up a dedicated EV subsidiary.
2021Xiaomi
Acquired DeepMotion
Xiaomi acquired DeepMotion for $77 million. Autonomous-driving technology company acquired to support Xiaomi's EV program.
2024BP
Auchincloss Confirmed as CEO
Murray Auchincloss, BP's CFO since 2020 and interim chief since Bernard Looney's September 2023 exit, is confirmed as permanent CEO in January 2024.
2024Xiaomi
SU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the SU7 electric sedan in March 2024 and begins deliveries.
2025BP
Strategy Reset and Bumerangue Discovery
In February 2025 BP cuts planned transition investment to $1.5-2 billion a year, raises upstream spending to about $10 billion a year and targets $20 billion of divestments and $14-18 billion of net debt by 2027.
2025BP
CEO Change and Castrol Sale Agreed
On December 17, 2025 BP says Murray Auchincloss will step down and names Woodside Energy CEO Meg O'Neill as his successor from April 2026, with Carol Howle as interim CEO.
2025Xiaomi
Record Year and YU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the YU7 SUV, delivers 411,082 vehicles, and reports FY2025 revenue of ~$63.6B (RMB457.3B).
2026BP
O'Neill Takes Over and Simplifies BP
Meg O'Neill becomes CEO on April 1, 2026. The board removes chair Albert Manifold on May 26 over governance and conduct concerns and names Ian Tyler interim chair, confirming him as permanent chair on September 2.
2026Xiaomi
Memory Costs Hit Profit
Q1 revenue falls 10.9% to ~$13.8B (RMB99.1B) and Q2 revenue falls 6.1% to ~$15.1B (RMB108.9B) as memory-chip costs squeeze margins.
Acquisitions
BP
- TravelCenters of America2023$1.3B
- Archaea Energy2022$4.1B
- Lightsource Renewable Energy (43% stake, later 100%)2017$200M
- ARCO (Atlantic Richfield Company)2000$27B
- Castrol Limited2000$4.7B
- Amoco Corporation1998$48.2B
Questions about BP vs Xiaomi
Who is the CEO of BP plc and Xiaomi Corp.?
BP plc is led by Meg O'Neill and Xiaomi Corp. is led by Lei Jun. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was BP plc founded vs Xiaomi Corp.?
BP plc was founded in 1909 — 101 years before Xiaomi Corp., which was founded in 2010. BP plc's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Xiaomi Corp..
How many employees does BP plc have compared to Xiaomi Corp.?
BP plc employs approximately 93,700 people, while Xiaomi Corp. employs approximately 56,531. BP plc has the larger workforce at 93,700 employees, compared to Xiaomi Corp.'s 56,531. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are BP plc and Xiaomi Corp. headquartered?
BP plc is headquartered in United Kingdom and Xiaomi Corp. is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded BP plc and Xiaomi Corp.?
BP plc was founded by William Knox D'Arcy, Charles Greenway. Xiaomi Corp. was founded by Lei Jun, Lin Bin.
Which company has a longer operating history — BP plc or Xiaomi Corp.?
BP plc has been operating for approximately 117 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Xiaomi Corp. has been in operation for around 16 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 BP vs Xiaomi overview