Infosys vs Visa: Founders, CEOs and History
Infosys was founded in 1981 by N. R. Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, S. Gopalakrishnan and is led by Salil Parekh. Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney.
Company facts
Founders
Infosys
N. R. Narayana Murthy
Infosys possesses arguably the most ethical, well-known founding story in modern Indian corporate history, defining the 'middle-class' technology miracle of Bangalore and famously prioritizing rigorous corporate governance in a heavily corrupt regulatory era.
Nandan Nilekani
Nandan Nilekani served as Infosys CEO from 2002 to 2007, a period when the company expanded into global markets and deepened its position with Fortune 500 clients.
S. Gopalakrishnan
S. Gopalakrishnan co-founded Infosys in 1981 and served as CEO from 2007 to 2011, handling the company through the global financial crisis while maintaining profitability and client trust.
S. D. Shibulal
S. D. Shibulal co-founded Infosys in 1981 and served as CEO from 2011 to 2014. His tenure came during a transitional period when traditional outsourcing growth was slowing and the market was beginning to shift toward digital transformation, cloud, and automati…
K. Dinesh
K. Dinesh co-founded Infosys in 1981 and spent his career building the company's internal operating systems, quality processes, human resources practices, training programs, and organizational development.
N. S. Raghavan
N. S. Raghavan co-founded Infosys and served as a stabilizing administrative force during the company's fragile early years.
Ashok Arora
Ashok Arora co-founded Infosys in 1981 and contributed to the company's earliest technical work and client delivery. Unlike the other six founders, Arora left the company relatively early and sold his stake before Infosys became a public-market success.
Visa
Dee Hock
Dee Hock (1929-2022) was the founding CEO of National BankAmericard Inc., the bank-owned company that took over the BankAmericard licensing system from Bank of America in 1970 and adopted the Visa name in 1976.
CEOs and their tenures
Infosys
- S. D. Shibulal2011–2014
Co-founder and Former CEO
As one of the original founders serving as CEO, his tenure saw Infosys struggle with lagging growth compared to TCS, prompting the return of N.R. Narayana Murthy to stabilize operations.
Source - Vishal Sikka2014–2017
Former CEO
He resigned in August 2017 after public criticism from founder N. R. Narayana Murthy over governance, executive pay, and the Panaya acquisition.
Source - Nandan Nilekani2017–present
Co-founder and Non-Executive Chairman
His return restored investor confidence and ended the founder-board conflict. He earlier served as CEO from 2002 to 2007 and led India's Aadhaar digital ID programme.
Source - Salil Parekh2018–present
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Under Parekh revenue rose from about $11.8 billion in FY2019 to $20.16 billion in FY2026 while operating margins stayed near 20%-21%. His board reappointed him for a second five-year term starting April 2022.
Source - Jayesh Sanghrajka2023–present
Chief Financial Officer
He has kept operating margins within the 20%-22% guidance band during a slow-growth period.
Source
Visa
- Alfred F. Kelly Jr.2016–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2016 to 2023, he heavily modernized the massive legacy network, aggressively integrating fintechs and preparing the network to process highly complex cryptocurrency transactions.
Source - Ryan McInerney2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
McInerney joined Visa in 2013 as president after senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and became chief executive on February 1, 2023, succeeding Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Source
Timeline: Infosys and Visa side by side
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
1981Infosys
Infosys Founded
Seven engineers founded Infosys in Pune before relocating and scaling the company in Bengaluru.
1993Infosys
Indian Public Listing
Infosys listed in India and began building a transparent governance reputation.
1999Infosys
NASDAQ Listing
Infosys became the first Indian company listed on NASDAQ, boosting global investor credibility.
2000Infosys
Finacle Scales
Infosys expanded its banking software platform, creating product-led switching costs inside banks.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2011Infosys
S. D. Shibulal becomes CEO
S. D. Shibulal became CEO of Infosys Limited in 2011. He was the last founder to serve as CEO before the board appointed an outside leader.
2014Infosys
Vishal Sikka becomes CEO
Vishal Sikka became CEO of Infosys Limited in 2014. He resigned in August 2017 after public criticism from founder N.
2016Visa
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. becomes CEO
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. became CEO of Visa in 2016. Chief executive of Visa from December 2016 to January 2023, when Ryan McInerney succeeded him; Kelly then served as executive chairman.
2018Infosys
Salil Parekh Becomes CEO
Salil Parekh became CEO and began a period focused on large deals, cloud, AI, and delivery discipline.
2020Visa
Acquired Plaid (abandoned)
Visa acquired Plaid (abandoned) for $5.3 billion. Visa agreed in January 2020 to buy US data-connectivity fintech Plaid for USD 5.3 billion.
2022Visa
Tink acquisition
Visa completed its purchase of Stockholm-based open banking platform Tink in March 2022.
2023Visa
Ryan McInerney becomes CEO
Ryan McInerney became Visa's CEO after serving as president.
2024Infosys
Acquired In-tech
Infosys Limited acquired In-tech for $485 million.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
2026Infosys
Revenue Crosses $20B
Infosys reported $20.158 billion in FY2026 revenue, up 3.1% in constant currency, with $14.9 billion in large-deal wins.
2026Infosys
FY2027 Guidance Cut
In July 2026 Infosys reported Q1 FY2027 revenue of $5.082 billion and lowered full-year growth guidance to 1.5%-3.0% in constant currency.
Acquisitions
Infosys
- MRE Consulting2025$36M
- InSemi Technology Services2024$33.7M
- In-tech2024$485M
- BASE life science2022Undisclosed
- Oddity2022Undisclosed
- Simplus2020$250M
Questions about Infosys vs Visa
Who is the CEO of Infosys Limited and Visa Inc.?
Infosys Limited is led by Salil Parekh and Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Infosys Limited founded vs Visa Inc.?
Visa Inc. was founded in 1958 — 23 years before Infosys Limited, which was founded in 1981. Visa Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Infosys Limited.
How many employees does Infosys Limited have compared to Visa Inc.?
Infosys Limited employs approximately 328,594 people, while Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100. Infosys Limited has the larger workforce at 328,594 employees, compared to Visa Inc.'s 34,100. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Infosys Limited and Visa Inc. headquartered?
Infosys Limited is headquartered in India and Visa Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Infosys Limited and Visa Inc.?
Infosys Limited was founded by N. R. Narayana Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, S. Gopalakrishnan, S. D. Shibulal, K. Dinesh, N. S. Raghavan, Ashok Arora. Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock.
Which company has a longer operating history — Infosys Limited or Visa Inc.?
Visa Inc. has been operating for approximately 68 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Infosys Limited has been in operation for around 45 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 Infosys vs Visa overview