Dell vs Procter & Gamble: Founders, CEOs and History
Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael S. Dell and is led by Michael S. Dell. Procter & Gamble was founded in 1837 by William Procter, James Gamble and is led by Shailesh Jejurikar.
Company facts
Dell
- Founded
- 1984
- Headquarters
- Round Rock, Texas
- Current CEO
- Michael S. Dell
- Employees
- 97,000
Procter & Gamble
- Founded
- 1837
- Headquarters
- Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Current CEO
- Shailesh Jejurikar
- Employees
- 109,000
Founders
Dell
Michael S. Dell
Dell Technologies possesses one of the most famous, foundational founding stories in the history of the personal computer revolution, rooted in an aggressive, direct-to-consumer arbitrage strategy executed entirely from a college dorm room.
Procter & Gamble
William Procter
William Procter was an English-born candlemaker who settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and built a candle-making business there. In 1837, on the advice of his father-in-law, he went into partnership with his brother-in-law James Gamble to form Procter & Gamble.
James Gamble
James Gamble was an Irish-born soap maker in Cincinnati who joined William Procter in 1837 to form Procter & Gamble. He concentrated on soap formulation and efficient production, and the company later launched Ivory Soap, known for floating in water.
CEOs and their tenures
Dell
- Michael S. Dell1984–present
Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer
Michael Dell's bold, aggressive strategic maneuvers transformed the company from a successful consumer PC manufacturer into a global leader in complex enterprise data center infrastructure and advanced cloud computing.
Source - Kevin Rollins2004–2007
President and Chief Executive Officer
As CEO from 2004 to 2007, he oversaw a period of severe stagnation, losing the company's #1 PC market share position to HP, forcing Michael Dell to return and retake control.
Source - Jeff Clarke2017–present
Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer
As Vice Chairman and Co-COO, he is the primary operational architect of Dell's Infrastructure Solutions Group, transforming the company from a PC maker into a massive enterprise IT vendor.
Source - David Kennedy2025–present
Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Legal Officer, he navigated the highly contentious 2013 leveraged buyout that took the company private, and the equally complex 2018 transaction that returned it to the public markets.
Source
Procter & Gamble
- Jon Moeller2021–2026
Chief Executive Officer; later Executive Chairman
As CFO and later CEO, he successfully stabilized P&G's declining revenue by enforcing strict pricing power during severe global inflation.
Source - Andre Schulten2021–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he maintained the company's industry-leading gross margins and managed the complex financial exit from the Russian market in 2022.
Source - Shailesh Jejurikar2026–present
President and CEO
Mumbai-born P&G veteran of more than 37 years who previously led Fabric & Home Care and served as Chief Operating Officer.
Source
Timeline: Dell and Procter & Gamble side by side
1837Procter & Gamble
Company Founded in Cincinnati
William Procter and James Gamble sign a partnership agreement on October 31, 1837, establishing Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio, with combined capital of approximately 7,192 dollars.
1862Procter & Gamble
Civil War Army Contracts Fuel Expansion
P&G wins contracts to supply the Union Army with soap and candles, generating significant revenue that enables manufacturing expansion and introduces millions of American soldiers to P&G products for the first time.
1882Procter & Gamble
Ivory Soap Launches Nationally
Harley Procter and James Norris Gamble introduce Ivory soap, promoted as 99 and 44/100 percent pure and notable for its floating characteristic.
1890Procter & Gamble
Company Incorporates and Expands Nationally
Procter & Gamble incorporates in Ohio with capital of 4.5 million dollars and begins building manufacturing capacity outside Cincinnati, establishing the operational infrastructure for national distribution that the Ivory soap advertising campaign had created…
1911Procter & Gamble
Crisco Shortening Introduced
P&G launches Crisco vegetable shortening, the first hydrogenated vegetable oil product marketed to American consumers as an alternative to lard and butter.
1931Procter & Gamble
Brand Management System Invented
P&G executive Neil McElroy writes a famous internal memo proposing that each brand have its own dedicated management team responsible for competing against all rivals including other P&G brands.
1946Procter & Gamble
Tide Detergent Launches
P&G introduces Tide synthetic detergent, which rapidly becomes the best-selling laundry product in the United States and establishes the template for all future P&G brand development: superior product performance, heavy consumer advertising, and sustained mark…
1961Procter & Gamble
Pampers Diapers Introduced
P&G introduces Pampers disposable diapers, transforming the infant care category and creating what will become one of the company's most globally significant brands.
1984Dell
PC's Limited Founded
Michael Dell starts PC's Limited from his University of Texas dorm room using a direct-sales PC model.
1988Dell
Dell Goes Public
Dell Computer Corporation completes its initial public offering and scales internationally.
2001Dell
Dell Becomes Largest PC Maker
Dell becomes the world's largest PC maker by market share, validating the direct model at global scale.
2005Procter & Gamble
Gillette Acquired for 57 Billion Dollars
P&G completes the acquisition of Gillette Company for approximately 57 billion dollars in an all-stock transaction, adding Gillette razors, Braun appliances, Oral-B dental products, and Duracell batteries to the P&G portfolio.
2007Dell
Michael Dell Returns as CEO
Michael Dell returned as chief executive in January 2007, replacing Kevin Rollins.
2013Dell
Dell Goes Private
Michael Dell and Silver Lake take Dell private in a leveraged buyout to reposition the company away from public-market pressure.
2014Procter & Gamble
Portfolio Transformation Announced
CEO A.G. Lafley announces P&G's plan to divest more than 100 brands and focus the company on approximately 80 core brands in ten product categories.
2016Dell
EMC Acquired
Dell completes the EMC acquisition, creating Dell Technologies and expanding into enterprise storage, infrastructure, and VMware-linked assets.
2018Dell
Dell Returns to Public Markets
Dell Technologies returns to public-market trading through a complex transaction involving its VMware tracking stock.
2019Procter & Gamble
Portfolio Simplification Completed
P&G completes the brand portfolio simplification, having divested more than 100 brands and consolidated around approximately 65 core brands.
2021Dell
VMware Spin-Off
Dell completes the VMware spin-off, simplifying the corporate structure and reducing debt.
2024Procter & Gamble
Fiscal Year 2024 Net Sales Reach Approximately 84 Billion Dollars
P&G reports fiscal year 2024 net sales of $84.0 billion and net earnings attributable to P&G of about $14.9 billion, and raises its quarterly dividend 7% to $1.0065 per share, its 68th consecutive annual increase.
2025Dell
PC Brands Simplified
Dell introduces simplified Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max PC brand tiers at CES 2025.
2026Dell
Record $113.5B Fiscal Year
Dell reports record fiscal 2026 revenue of $113.5B, $64.1B of AI server orders and a $43B AI backlog.
2026Dell
$95B AI Server Backlog
Q2 fiscal 2027 revenue rises 58% to $47.0B; AI orders hit $60.9B and backlog reaches $95B; full-year guidance raised to about $192B.
Acquisitions
Dell
- EMC Corporation2016$67B
- Quest Software2012$2.4B
- Perot Systems2009$3.9B
- Alienware2006Undisclosed
Procter & Gamble
- Gillette2005$57B
- Gillette2005Undisclosed
- Richardson-Vicks1985$1.2B
Questions about Dell vs Procter & Gamble
Who is the CEO of Dell Technologies Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company?
Dell Technologies Inc. is led by Michael S. Dell and The Procter & Gamble Company is led by Shailesh Jejurikar. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Dell Technologies Inc. founded vs The Procter & Gamble Company?
The Procter & Gamble Company was founded in 1837 — 147 years before Dell Technologies Inc., which was founded in 1984. The Procter & Gamble Company's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Dell Technologies Inc..
How many employees does Dell Technologies Inc. have compared to The Procter & Gamble Company?
Dell Technologies Inc. employs approximately 97,000 people, while The Procter & Gamble Company employs approximately 109,000. The Procter & Gamble Company has the larger workforce at 109,000 employees, compared to Dell Technologies Inc.'s 97,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Dell Technologies Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company headquartered?
Both Dell Technologies Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Dell Technologies Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Company?
Dell Technologies Inc. was founded by Michael S. Dell. The Procter & Gamble Company was founded by William Procter, James Gamble.
Which company has a longer operating history — Dell Technologies Inc. or The Procter & Gamble Company?
The Procter & Gamble Company has been operating for approximately 189 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Dell Technologies Inc. has been in operation for around 42 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 Dell vs Procter & Gamble overview