Honda vs NEC: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. NEC was founded in 1899 by Kunihiko Iwadare and is led by Takayuki Morita.
Company facts
Founders
Honda
Soichiro Honda
Soichiro Honda founded the company in 1946. Originally a mechanic who manufactured piston rings for Toyota, he realized that post-war Japan desperately needed cheap, reliable transportation.
Takeo Fujisawa
Takeo Fujisawa co-founded Honda in 1949, serving as the absolute perfect business counterpart to Soichiro Honda's engineering obsession.
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
Honda
- Takanobu Ito2009–2015
President and CEO
He introduced a plan to reorganise Honda global operations and handed the presidency to Takahiro Hachigo in 2015.
Source - Takahiro Hachigo2015–2021
Former President and CEO
Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
Source - Toshihiro Mibe2021–present
Director, President and Representative Executive Officer (CEO)
Mibe's tenure has been defined by the push into electrification and its costly reset. The EV charges produced Honda's first annual loss since listing, but the shift toward hybrids and motorcycles was followed by a record first-quarter profit in FY2027.
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: Honda 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…
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
1958NEC
Computer Expansion
NEC expands from communications equipment into computers and enterprise technology.
1959Honda
American Honda Opens
Honda enters the US market, initially building awareness through motorcycles.
1963Honda
Honda Enters Automobiles
Honda expands from motorcycles and engines into automobile production.
1972Honda
Civic Launch
The Civic becomes a defining global nameplate for Honda's fuel-efficient automobile strategy.
1982NEC
C&C Strategy
NEC promotes the integration of computers and communications as a strategic identity.
1986Honda
Acquired Montesa
Honda Motor Co. acquired Montesa. Honda took control of the Spanish motorcycle maker Montesa, creating Montesa Honda to build trial and off-road motorcycles in Europe.
1986Honda
Acura Brand Launched
Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States in 1986.
1994NEC
Acquired Packard Bell
NEC acquired Packard Bell. NEC acquired Packard Bell in 1994.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2011NEC
PC Joint Venture with Lenovo
NEC restructures its PC business through a joint venture with Lenovo.
2015Honda
Takahiro Hachigo becomes CEO
Takahiro Hachigo became CEO of Honda Motor Co. in 2015. Hachigo trimmed excess capacity and refocused Honda on hybrids, motorcycles and its core models, which improved profitability before the EV investment cycle began.
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…
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2021NEC
Takayuki Morita Becomes President and CEO
Takayuki Morita, previously CFO, becomes NEC president and CEO on April 1, 2021.
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.
2026Honda
FY2026 Loss and EV Reset
Honda reports ~$146 billion (JPY 21.797 trillion) in sales revenue and a ~$2.84 billion (JPY 423.9 billion) loss attributable to owners after EV write-downs, then posts a record ~$3.56 billion (JPY 530.7 billion) Q1 FY2027 operating profit in August.
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
Questions about Honda vs NEC
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and NEC Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe 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 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs NEC Corporation?
NEC Corporation was founded in 1899 — 49 years before Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1948. NEC Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Honda Motor Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Honda Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to NEC Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while NEC Corporation employs approximately 101,800. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 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 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and NEC Corporation headquartered?
Both Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and NEC Corporation are headquartered in Japan, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and NEC Corporation?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. NEC Corporation was founded by Kunihiko Iwadare.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or NEC Corporation?
NEC Corporation has been operating for approximately 127 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 78 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 Honda vs NEC overview