FANUC vs Siemens: Founders, CEOs and History
FANUC was founded in 1972 by Dr. Seiuemon Inaba and is led by Kenji Yamaguchi. Siemens was founded in 1847 by Werner von Siemens, Johann Georg Halske and is led by Roland Busch.
Company facts
Founders
FANUC
Dr. Seiuemon Inaba
Dr. Seiuemon Inaba led the small numerical-control group inside Fujitsu that produced Japan's first commercial NC and servo systems in 1956. When the business was spun out as Fujitsu FANUC in 1972, he became its first president.
Siemens
Werner von Siemens
Werner von Siemens was an absolutely legendary German electrical engineer, fiercely visionary industrial pioneer, and the profoundly influential founding patriarch fundamentally responsible for architecting the massively dominant Siemens technology empire.
Johann Georg Halske
Johann Georg Halske was a fiercely brilliant German master mechanic, highly astute precision engineer, and the profoundly influential technical co-founder fundamentally responsible for the incredibly robust manufacturing and mechanical architecture of the mass…
CEOs and their tenures
FANUC
- Seiuemon Inaba1972–present
Founder and First President
Led the numerical-control project that became FANUC and served as founding president of Fujitsu FANUC. He died in 2020.
Source - Kenji Yamaguchi2019–present
Representative Director, President and CEO
Under Yamaguchi, FANUC reported record FY2025 sales of ~$5.75 billion (¥857.8 billion) and record Q1 FY2026 orders of ~$1.89 billion (¥281.9 billion).
Source
Siemens
- Joe Kaeser2013–2021
President and CEO
Kaeser's portfolio simplification set up Siemens' current focus on digital industrial technology, and he handed the CEO role to Roland Busch in 2021 with the energy and healthcare spin-offs already largely complete.
Source - Roland Busch2021–present
President and CEO
Under Busch, Siemens grew FY2025 revenue to ~$89.2 billion (EUR78.914 billion) (up from ~$84.6 billion (EUR74.882 billion) in FY2023) while continuing to shift the company's profit mix toward higher-margin industrial software.
Source
Timeline: FANUC and Siemens side by side
1847Siemens
Siemens & Halske is founded
Werner von Siemens and Johann Georg Halske found the company as an electrical telegraph and engineering business.
1897Siemens
Siemensstadt Founded
Siemens & Halske acquires land west of Berlin to build a vast new industrial site, later known as Siemensstadt, that grows into an UNESCO World Heritage-listed company town.
1955FANUC
Numerical-Control Project Begins
Seiuemon Inaba's NC project starts inside Fuji Tsushinki, later Fujitsu.
1956FANUC
First Commercial NC and Servo
The team develops Japan's first commercial numerical control and servo systems.
1966Siemens
Siemens AG takes modern form
Several Siemens predecessor companies combine into the modern Siemens AG structure.
1972FANUC
Fujitsu FANUC Established
The automation business becomes a separate company focused on factory automation.
1982FANUC
FANUC Name Adopted
Fujitsu FANUC becomes FANUC, reinforcing its independent identity.
2007Siemens
UGS acquisition deepens software
Siemens acquires UGS, building the PLM base that later becomes central to its industrial software strategy.
2018Siemens
Siemens Healthineers lists
Siemens lists Siemens Healthineers while retaining a major ownership stake.
2019FANUC
Kenji Yamaguchi Becomes CEO
Kenji Yamaguchi becomes president and CEO of FANUC.
2020Siemens
Siemens Energy is spun off
Siemens separates Siemens Energy, narrowing the parent company around industrial technology.
2021Siemens
Roland Busch becomes CEO
Roland Busch succeeds Joe Kaeser and accelerates the digital-industries and infrastructure strategy.
2025Siemens
FY2025 revenue reaches ~$89.2B (EUR78.914B)
Siemens reports ~$89.2B (EUR78.914B) revenue and ~$11.7B (EUR10.387B) net income for FY2025.
2025Siemens
Altair Engineering Acquired
Siemens completes its roughly $10 billion acquisition of Altair Engineering, adding simulation, high-performance computing, and AI-driven design software to its Xcelerator industrial software stack.
2026FANUC
Physical AI Collaborations
FANUC announces collaborations with NVIDIA (March) and Google (May) to bring Physical AI to its robots.
2026FANUC
Record FY2025 Sales Reported
FANUC reports FY2025 net sales of ~$5.75 billion (¥857.8 billion) and operating income of ~$1.23 billion (¥183.8 billion).
2026Siemens
Q2 FY2026 results show stable revenue
Siemens reports roughly stable Q2 FY2026 revenue while maintaining its fiscal-year operating focus.
Acquisitions
Siemens
- Altair Engineering2025$10B
- Dotmatics2025$5.1B
- Brightly Software2022$1.6B
- Varian Medical Systems2021$16.4B
- Mentor Graphics2017$4.5B
- UGS Corporation2007$3.5B
Questions about FANUC vs Siemens
Who is the CEO of FANUC Corporation and Siemens AG?
FANUC Corporation is led by Kenji Yamaguchi and Siemens AG is led by Roland Busch. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was FANUC Corporation founded vs Siemens AG?
Siemens AG was founded in 1847 — 125 years before FANUC Corporation, which was founded in 1972. Siemens AG's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger FANUC Corporation.
How many employees does FANUC Corporation have compared to Siemens AG?
FANUC Corporation employs approximately 10,040 people, while Siemens AG employs approximately 318,000. Siemens AG has the larger workforce at 318,000 employees, compared to FANUC Corporation's 10,040. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are FANUC Corporation and Siemens AG headquartered?
FANUC Corporation is headquartered in Japan and Siemens AG is headquartered in Germany. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded FANUC Corporation and Siemens AG?
FANUC Corporation was founded by Dr. Seiuemon Inaba. Siemens AG was founded by Werner von Siemens, Johann Georg Halske.
Which company has a longer operating history — FANUC Corporation or Siemens AG?
Siemens AG has been operating for approximately 179 years, making it the more established of the two companies. FANUC Corporation has been in operation for around 54 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 FANUC vs Siemens overview