IBM vs TotalEnergies: Founders, CEOs and History
IBM was founded in 1911 by Charles Ranlett Flint and is led by Arvind Krishna. TotalEnergies was founded in 1924 by Raymond Poincaré, Ernest Mercier and is led by Patrick Pouyanné.
Company facts
IBM
- Founded
- 1911
- Headquarters
- Armonk, New York
- Current CEO
- Arvind Krishna
- Employees
- 264,300
TotalEnergies
- Founded
- 1924
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Current CEO
- Patrick Pouyanné
- Employees
- 100,000
Founders
IBM
Charles Ranlett Flint
IBM possesses the most historic, foundational founding story in the entire history of modern computing, tracing its corporate lineage back to the genesis of data processing in the late 19th century and the aggressive, well-known leadership of a single, strong…
TotalEnergies
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was President of France during World War I and Prime Minister when his government pushed for a national oil company in 1924.
Ernest Mercier
Ernest Mercier was the industrialist chosen to set up and chair Compagnie Française des Pétroles.
CEOs and their tenures
IBM
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr.1993–2002
Chairman and CEO
Gerstner was the first IBM CEO hired from outside the company, coming from RJR Nabisco and American Express. He cut costs, cut mainframe prices, kept the company whole, and grew services into IBM's largest business.
Source - Samuel J. Palmisano2002–2011
Chairman, President and CEO
IBM focused on higher-margin services and software during his tenure. Ginni Rometty succeeded him in 2012.
Source - Virginia M. Rometty2012–2020
Chairman, President and CEO
IBM sold or exited lower-margin businesses under Rometty and bought Red Hat for about $34 billion. Arvind Krishna succeeded her in 2020.
Source - James J. Kavanaugh2018–present
Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations, and Chief Financial Officer
Kavanaugh is IBM's main voice on free cash flow targets, which reached $14.7 billion in FY2025.
Source - Arvind Krishna2020–present
Chairman and CEO
Krishna, a long-time IBM Research and software executive, led the Red Hat acquisition before becoming CEO.
Source
TotalEnergies
- Thierry Desmarest1995–2007
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under his leadership, Total more than doubled in size, becoming a dominant global supermajor capable of competing with Exxon and Shell.
Source - Christophe de Margerie2007–2014
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
He transformed Total into one of the most geographically diverse supermajors before his sudden death in a plane crash in 2014.
Source - Patrick Pouyanné2014–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
CEO since October 2014 and Chairman since December 2015, Pouyanné renamed the company TotalEnergies in 2021, expanded LNG and Integrated Power, and kept returns at the top of the majors (12.6% ROACE in 2025).
Source - Jean-Pierre Sbraire2019–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he fortified the balance sheet during unprecedented energy market volatility following the geopolitical shocks of 2022.
Source
Timeline: IBM and TotalEnergies side by side
1911IBM
Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company Founded
Charles Ranlett Flint merged the Tabulating Machine Company, International Time Recording Company, Computing Scale Company, and Bundy Manufacturing Company to form CTR - the company that would become IBM.
1924IBM
Renamed to International Business Machines
Under Thomas J. Watson Sr. CTR was renamed International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), reflecting the company's growing international presence and ambition beyond tabulating machines.
1924TotalEnergies
Compagnie Francaise des Petroles founded
The French state-backed oil company was created to secure access to petroleum resources and became the predecessor of TotalEnergies.
1952IBM
IBM 701 - First Commercial Computer
IBM launched the 701, its first commercially available electronic computer, marking the company's decisive entry into the electronic computing era and beginning its dominance of the mainframe market.
1954TotalEnergies
Total Brand Created
The company created the Total brand in 1954 to build a retail distribution network.
1964IBM
System/360 Launch
IBM launched the System/360, a compatible family of computers spanning all price points. The $5 billion investment was the largest privately funded project at the time and established the mainframe industry standard for decades.
1981IBM
IBM Personal Computer Launch
IBM introduced the IBM PC, which standardized personal computing architecture and created the PC industry. The open architecture decision inadvertently created the Wintel duopoly that would ultimately commoditize IBM's own PC business.
1993IBM
Lou Gerstner Arrives - Turnaround Begins
Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Became CEO as IBM posted $8 billion in losses. His decision to keep IBM intact rather than break it up, and to pivot toward services, saved the company and redefined its business model for the next two decades.
1995TotalEnergies
Thierry Desmarest becomes CEO
Thierry Desmarest became CEO of TotalEnergies in 1995. Led Total from 1995 to 2007 and engineered the Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine combinations; remained Chairman until 2010.
1997IBM
Deep Blue Defeats Kasparov
IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, becoming the first computer to beat a reigning world champion in a full match and establishing IBM's brand in artificial intelligence.
1999TotalEnergies
Petrofina acquired; Elf Aquitaine follows in 2000
Total combined with Belgium's Petrofina in 1999 and Elf Aquitaine in 2000, operating as TotalFinaElf before reverting to Total in 2003.
2000TotalEnergies
Elf Aquitaine Acquired
Total acquired Elf Aquitaine in 2000, forming TotalFinaElf.
2007TotalEnergies
Christophe de Margerie becomes CEO
Christophe de Margerie became CEO of TotalEnergies in 2007. CEO from 2007 and Chairman from 2010 until his death in a plane accident at Moscow's Vnukovo airport in October 2014.
2011TotalEnergies
Acquired SunPower (majority stake)
TotalEnergies acquired SunPower (majority stake).
2018TotalEnergies
Direct Energie acquired
Total bought French power and gas retailer Direct Energie, the base of its European retail electricity business.
2019IBM
Red Hat Acquisition Closes
IBM completed the $34 billion acquisition of Red Hat, the largest software acquisition in history at the time. The deal anchored IBM's hybrid cloud strategy and provided the OpenShift platform as the foundation for enterprise Kubernetes.
2021IBM
Kyndryl Spinoff
IBM spun off its managed infrastructure services business as Kyndryl Holdings, removing approximately $19 billion in low-margin revenue to focus the remaining company on higher-margin software and consulting.
2021TotalEnergies
Total becomes TotalEnergies
The company changed its name to TotalEnergies to reflect a broader multi-energy strategy spanning oil, gas, electricity, renewables, and low-carbon energy.
2023IBM
Watsonx Platform Launch
IBM launched watsonx, its enterprise AI and data platform combining foundation models (Granite), data management (watsonx.data), and AI governance (watsonx.governance). The platform represents IBM's AI strategy for the generative AI era.
2025TotalEnergies
2025 results
Revenues from sales of $182.344 billion, adjusted net income of $15.6 billion (down 15%), IFRS net income of $13.127 billion and a €3.40 dividend.
2026IBM
Confluent Acquisition Closes
IBM completed its roughly $11 billion acquisition of Confluent, adding real-time data streaming used by more than 6,500 enterprises to its AI and hybrid cloud software.
2026TotalEnergies
Mozambique LNG full restart
On January 29, 2026, Patrick Pouyanné and President Daniel Chapo announced the full restart of the roughly $20 billion Mozambique LNG project after force majeure was lifted in November 2025.
2026TotalEnergies
Q2 2026 results
Adjusted net income of $6.0 billion and cash flow of $9.8 billion in the second quarter as higher oil prices tied to the Middle East conflict lifted earnings.
Acquisitions
IBM
- Confluent2026$11B
- HashiCorp2025$6.4B
- Apptio2023$4.6B
- Red Hat2019$34B
- PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting2002$3.5B
- Lotus Development Corporation1995$3.5B
TotalEnergies
- Direct Energie2018$1.6B
- Saft Groupe2016Undisclosed
- SunPower (majority stake)2011Undisclosed
- Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine1999Undisclosed
Questions about IBM vs TotalEnergies
Who is the CEO of International Business Machines Corporation and TotalEnergies SE?
International Business Machines Corporation is led by Arvind Krishna and TotalEnergies SE is led by Patrick Pouyanné. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was International Business Machines Corporation founded vs TotalEnergies SE?
International Business Machines Corporation was founded in 1911 — 13 years before TotalEnergies SE, which was founded in 1924. International Business Machines Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger TotalEnergies SE.
How many employees does International Business Machines Corporation have compared to TotalEnergies SE?
International Business Machines Corporation employs approximately 264,300 people, while TotalEnergies SE employs approximately 100,000. International Business Machines Corporation has the larger workforce at 264,300 employees, compared to TotalEnergies SE's 100,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are International Business Machines Corporation and TotalEnergies SE headquartered?
International Business Machines Corporation is headquartered in United States and TotalEnergies SE is headquartered in France. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded International Business Machines Corporation and TotalEnergies SE?
International Business Machines Corporation was founded by Charles Ranlett Flint. TotalEnergies SE was founded by Raymond Poincaré, Ernest Mercier.
Which company has a longer operating history — International Business Machines Corporation or TotalEnergies SE?
International Business Machines Corporation has been operating for approximately 115 years, making it the more established of the two companies. TotalEnergies SE has been in operation for around 102 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 IBM vs TotalEnergies overview