Honda vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Honda was founded in 1948 by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa and is led by Toshihiro Mibe. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
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.
Unilever
William Hesketh Lever
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885 and built it around Sunlight Soap, one of the first branded, individually wrapped soaps sold at mass scale.
Samuel van den Bergh
Samuel van den Bergh led Van den Bergh, a Dutch margarine maker that became one of Jurgens' main rivals. The two families combined their businesses into Margarine Unie in 1927, and Margarine Unie merged with Lever Brothers in 1929 to create Unilever.
Anton Jurgens
Anton Jurgens' family firm was among the first to manufacture margarine commercially in the Netherlands after the product was invented in France. Jurgens competed for decades with the Van den Bergh family before the two merged into Margarine Unie in 1927.
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
Unilever
- Alan Jope2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source - Hein Schumacher2023–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Schumacher reset Unilever around fewer, bigger brands and set up the Ice Cream demerger before stepping down in February 2025.
Source - Fernando Fernandez2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, the highly experienced Latin American executive enforces absolute financial discipline, attempting to restore investor confidence after years of sluggish stock performance.
Source
Timeline: Honda and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1929Unilever
Unilever created
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.
1929Unilever
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
1948Honda
Honda Motor Founded
Soichiro Honda establishes Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.
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.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
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.
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
2000Honda
ASIMO Unveiled
Honda unveiled the ASIMO humanoid robot in 2000.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
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.
2019Unilever
Alan Jope becomes CEO
Alan Jope became CEO of Unilever in 2019. Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
2020Unilever
Legal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
2020Unilever
Single Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
2021Honda
Toshihiro Mibe Becomes CEO
Mibe becomes CEO as Honda increases focus on electrification, software, and new mobility.
2025Unilever
Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
2025Unilever
Ice Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
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.
Acquisitions
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Honda vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Unilever PLC?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Toshihiro Mibe and Unilever PLC is led by Fernando Fernandez. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Honda Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 19 years before Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1948. Unilever PLC'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 Unilever PLC?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 195,109 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 195,109 employees, compared to Unilever PLC's 96,092. 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 Unilever PLC headquartered?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and Unilever PLC is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Unilever PLC?
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Soichiro Honda, Takeo Fujisawa. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Honda Motor Co., Ltd. or Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 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 Unilever overview