NEC vs Volkswagen: Founders, CEOs and History
NEC was founded in 1899 by Kunihiko Iwadare and is led by Takayuki Morita. Volkswagen was founded in 1937 by Ferdinand Porsche and is led by Oliver Blume.
Company facts
NEC
- Founded
- 1899
- Headquarters
- Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- Current CEO
- Takayuki Morita
- Employees
- 101,800
Volkswagen
- Founded
- 1937
- Headquarters
- Wolfsburg, Germany
- Current CEO
- Oliver Blume
- Employees
- 663,000
Founders
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.…
Volkswagen
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) was an Austrian-born automotive engineer who had worked for Lohner, Austro-Daimler and Daimler-Benz before opening his own design office in Stuttgart in 1931.
CEOs and their tenures
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
Volkswagen
- Hermann Münch1946–1947
Chief Executive Officer
Early executive involved in the incredibly complex immediate post-war administration of the completely destroyed factory under British military control.
Source - Heinrich Nordhoff1948–1968
Chief Executive Officer
The absolute legendary post-war architect who took the ruins of the VW factory and transformed the Beetle into a massive, globally beloved cultural icon and economic miracle.
Source - Kurt Lotz1968–1971
Chief Executive Officer
Early post-war leader who began the critical process of diversifying VW's lineup beyond relying entirely on a single model (the Beetle).
Source - Rudolf Leiding1971–1975
Chief Executive Officer
Crucial CEO who managed the extremely difficult, highly risky transition away from the iconic but severely outdated Beetle toward modern, front-wheel-drive water-cooled cars (like the Golf).
Source - Toni Schmücker1975–1982
Chief Executive Officer
Guided the company through the severe financial crises of the 1970s, ensuring the successful launch and massive adoption of the original VW Golf.
Source - Carl Hahn1982–1993
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO in the 1980s, he executed the massive, highly strategic acquisitions of SEAT and Skoda, laying the foundation for VW's absolute dominance in Europe.
Source - Ferdinand Piëch1993–2002
Chief Executive Officer
As the legendary, absolutely ruthless patriarch (and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche), he transformed VW from a struggling mass-market brand into the most powerful automotive conglomerate on Earth.
Source - Bernd Pischetsrieder2002–2006
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2002 to 2006, he oversaw the incredibly complex integration of massive luxury brands like Bugatti and Bentley into the VW Group portfolio.
Source - Martin Winterkorn2007–2015
Chief Executive Officer
As the notoriously demanding, absolutely feared CEO, he oversaw massive global expansion but fostered a culture of absolute terror that led engineers to cheat rather than admit failure.
Source - Matthias Müller2015–2018
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO during the darkest period in modern VW history, he initiated the massive cultural purge of the toxic, highly secretive engineering culture that caused the cheating scandal.
Source - Herbert Diess2018–2022
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO, he forcefully dragged the massive, highly bureaucratic legacy automaker into the Tesla era, though his abrasive style alienated the powerful Porsche-Piëch families.
Source - Oliver Blume2022–present
Chairman of the Board of Management
He also ran Porsche AG alongside the group role until Michael Leiters took over as Porsche CEO on January 1, 2026, leaving Blume focused on Volkswagen Group.
Source
Timeline: NEC and Volkswagen 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…
1937Volkswagen
Volkswagen founded
Volkswagen was founded under the German Labour Front as part of a state-directed people's car program.
1945Volkswagen
Wolfsburg restarted
British military administration helped restart peacetime production at Wolfsburg after World War II.
1958NEC
Computer Expansion
NEC expands from communications equipment into computers and enterprise technology.
1965Volkswagen
Audi foundation added
Volkswagen acquired Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, creating the foundation for modern Audi.
1974Volkswagen
Golf production begins
The Golf gave Volkswagen a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact platform after the Beetle era.
1982NEC
C&C Strategy
NEC promotes the integration of computers and communications as a strategic identity.
1994NEC
Acquired Packard Bell
NEC acquired Packard Bell. NEC acquired Packard Bell in 1994.
2011NEC
PC Joint Venture with Lenovo
NEC restructures its PC business through a joint venture with Lenovo.
2012Volkswagen
Porsche consolidated
Porsche became a controlled sport-luxury profit anchor within Volkswagen Group.
2015Volkswagen
Matthias Müller becomes CEO
Matthias Müller became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2015. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2015 to 2018.
2015Volkswagen
Emissions Scandal
US regulators accused Volkswagen in September 2015 of fitting diesel cars with software that cheated emissions tests.
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…
2018Volkswagen
Herbert Diess becomes CEO
Herbert Diess became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2018. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2018 to 2022.
2021NEC
Takayuki Morita Becomes President and CEO
Takayuki Morita, previously CFO, becomes NEC president and CEO on April 1, 2021.
2022Volkswagen
Oliver Blume becomes chairman
Oliver Blume became chairman of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2022. He also ran Porsche AG alongside the group role until Michael Leiters took over as Porsche CEO on January 1, 2026, leaving Blume focused on Volkswagen Group.
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.
2024Volkswagen
Rivian software joint venture
Volkswagen and Rivian launched a software joint venture targeting next-generation electrical architecture.
2025Volkswagen
Revenue reaches ~$364B (EUR321.9B)
Volkswagen reported ~$364 billion (EUR321.9 billion) in sales revenue, ~$10.1 billion (EUR8.9 billion) in operating result, and 8.984 million deliveries.
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
Volkswagen
- Porsche AG2012Undisclosed
- Bentley Motors1998Undisclosed
- Auto Union / Audi1965Undisclosed
Questions about NEC vs Volkswagen
Who is the CEO of NEC Corporation and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
NEC Corporation is led by Takayuki Morita and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is led by Oliver Blume. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was NEC Corporation founded vs Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
NEC Corporation was founded in 1899 — 38 years before Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, which was founded in 1937. NEC Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft.
How many employees does NEC Corporation have compared to Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
NEC Corporation employs approximately 101,800 people, while Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft employs approximately 663,000. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has the larger workforce at 663,000 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 NEC Corporation and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft headquartered?
NEC Corporation is headquartered in Japan and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is headquartered in Germany. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded NEC Corporation and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
NEC Corporation was founded by Kunihiko Iwadare. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded by Ferdinand Porsche.
Which company has a longer operating history — NEC Corporation or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
NEC Corporation has been operating for approximately 127 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has been in operation for around 89 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 NEC vs Volkswagen overview