Hitachi vs Travelers: Founders, CEOs and History
Hitachi was founded in 1910 by Namihei Odaira and is led by Toshiaki Tokunaga. Travelers was founded in 1853 by Eliphalet Terry, Henry R. Fitch and is led by Alan Schnitzer.
Company facts
Founders
Hitachi
Namihei Odaira
Hitachi possesses a historic, foundational founding story, rooted in the industrialization of early 20th-century Japan and driven by a nationalist obsession with technological independence.
Travelers
Eliphalet Terry
Eliphalet Terry was a Hartford businessman and insurance executive whom the company lists among its founders. He is associated with Hartford's mid-19th-century insurance community that helped launch Travelers.
Henry R. Fitch
Henry R. Fitch (often credited alongside James G. Batterson) helped found the original Travelers Insurance Company in 1864 in Hartford, Connecticut.
CEOs and their tenures
Hitachi
- Toshiaki Higashihara2016–2022
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Shifted Hitachi from a sprawling conglomerate toward infrastructure and digital businesses.
Source - Keiji Kojima2022–2025
Executive Chairman (CEO 2022-2025)
Finished much of the portfolio cleanup and handed over a more focused group to Tokunaga.
Source - Toshiaki Tokunaga2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Brings an energy and rail background to the top job as Hitachi Energy and Hitachi Rail drive more of the group's growth.
Source
Travelers
- Jay Fishman2004–2015
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO until his tragic death from ALS in 2015, he is universally recognized as the absolute architect of the modern Travelers Companies, deeply cementing its status as a Dow Jones Industrial Average component.
Source - Alan D. Schnitzer2015–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Schnitzer joined Travelers in 2007 as general counsel, later ran Business and International Insurance, became CEO in December 2015 and chairman in 2017.
Source - Daniel S. Frey2018–present
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he provides the absolutely critical financial discipline required to navigate the highly volatile property and casualty insurance market.
Source
Timeline: Hitachi and Travelers side by side
1853Travelers
Oldest insurance roots date to 1853
Travelers traces part of its history to insurance organizations dating back to 1853, making it one of the oldest names in U.S. insurance.
1864Travelers
Travelers accident insurance roots
The Travelers name became associated with accident insurance in Hartford during the railroad era, laying the brand foundation for later expansion.
1910Hitachi
Founding and First Induction Motor
Namihei Odaira establishes the machinery repair shop that becomes Hitachi, and develops Japan's first 5-horsepower induction motor, establishing the foundation for the company's dominance in electrical engineering.
1932Hitachi
Expansion into Railway Technology
Hitachi begins manufacturing electric locomotives and rail signaling systems, establishing a deep, institutionalized relationship with the Japanese national railway network that would evolve into the modern Hitachi Rail division.
1959Hitachi
Entry into Computing and Electronics
Hitachi develops its first electronic computer, the HITAC, marking the company's strategic entry into the information technology sector and laying the groundwork for its future digital systems business.
1998Travelers
Travelers Group and Citicorp form Citigroup
Sanford Weill's Travelers Group merged with Citicorp to create Citigroup. The property-casualty business was spun off again in 2002.
2004Travelers
St. Paul and Travelers merger
The merger of The St. Paul Companies and Travelers created a major property and casualty insurer with greater commercial lines scale.
2007Travelers
Renamed The Travelers Companies
St. Paul Travelers reacquired the red umbrella trademark from Citigroup and adopted The Travelers Companies, Inc. name.
2016Hitachi
Toshiaki Higashihara becomes CEO
Toshiaki Higashihara became CEO of Hitachi in 2016. Shifted Hitachi from a sprawling conglomerate toward infrastructure and digital businesses.
2017Travelers
Simply Business acquisition
Travelers acquired Simply Business, expanding digital small-business insurance capabilities.
2020Hitachi
Acquisition of ABB's Power Grids Business
Hitachi executes the $11 billion acquisition of ABB's Power Grids business, renaming it Hitachi Energy and instantly establishing the company as the global leader in HVDC transmission and grid infrastructure.
2021Hitachi
Acquisition of GlobalLogic
The company acquires the global digital engineering firm GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion, instantly establishing Hitachi as a top-tier provider of advanced software and product design services for the automotive and telecommunications sectors.
2022Hitachi
Hitachi Construction Machinery Stake Sale
Hitachi sold a controlling stake in Hitachi Construction Machinery to Itochu and Japan Industrial Partners, part of its exit from cyclical listed subsidiaries.
2024Hitachi
Acquired Thales Ground Transportation Systems
Hitachi acquired Thales Ground Transportation Systems. Hitachi Rail completed its ~$1.88 billion (EUR 1.66 billion) acquisition of Thales's Ground Transportation Systems business, its rail signalling division, expanding Hitachi Rail to 51 countries and shiftin…
2024Travelers
Corvus Insurance acquired
Travelers completed its purchase of cyber insurance specialist Corvus for about $435 million.
2025Hitachi
Toshiaki Tokunaga Becomes CEO
Toshiaki Tokunaga became President and CEO on April 1, 2025, succeeding Keiji Kojima, who became Executive Chairman.
2025Travelers
2025 total revenues reach $48.828B
Travelers reported $48.828 billion in total revenues and $6.288 billion in net income for 2025.
2026Hitachi
Record Results and Home Appliance Sale
Hitachi reported record FY2025 profit in April 2026 and agreed to sell 80.1% of its home appliance business to Nojima for about $737 million (¥110 billion).
2026Travelers
Canada sale to Definity closes
On January 2, 2026, Travelers completed the sale of its Canadian personal insurance business and most of its Canadian commercial business to Definity for about US$2.4 billion.
2026Travelers
Q2 2026 net income of $2.208B
Second-quarter net income rose to $2.208 billion, with an 83.6% combined ratio and lower catastrophe losses.
Acquisitions
Hitachi
- Thales Ground Transportation Systems2024Undisclosed
- GlobalLogic2021Undisclosed
- ABB Power Grids2020Undisclosed
Travelers
- Corvus Insurance2024$435M
- Simply Business2017$490M
- The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company2013Undisclosed
- USF&G1998Undisclosed
Questions about Hitachi vs Travelers
Who is the CEO of Hitachi, Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Hitachi, Ltd. is led by Toshiaki Tokunaga and The Travelers Companies, Inc. is led by Alan Schnitzer. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Hitachi, Ltd. founded vs The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 — 57 years before Hitachi, Ltd., which was founded in 1910. The Travelers Companies, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Hitachi, Ltd..
How many employees does Hitachi, Ltd. have compared to The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Hitachi, Ltd. employs approximately 287,901 people, while The Travelers Companies, Inc. employs approximately 32,500. Hitachi, Ltd. has the larger workforce at 287,901 employees, compared to The Travelers Companies, Inc.'s 32,500. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Hitachi, Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc. headquartered?
Hitachi, Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and The Travelers Companies, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Hitachi, Ltd. and The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
Hitachi, Ltd. was founded by Namihei Odaira. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded by Eliphalet Terry, Henry R. Fitch.
Which company has a longer operating history — Hitachi, Ltd. or The Travelers Companies, Inc.?
The Travelers Companies, Inc. has been operating for approximately 173 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Hitachi, Ltd. has been in operation for around 116 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 Hitachi vs Travelers overview