Nissan vs VinFast: Founders, CEOs and History
Nissan was founded in 1933 by Yoshisuke Aikawa, William Gorham, Masujiro Hashimoto and is led by Ivan Espinosa. VinFast was founded in 2017 by Pham Nhat Vuong and is led by Pham Nhat Quan Anh.
Company facts
Founders
Nissan
Yoshisuke Aikawa
Yoshisuke Aikawa founded the massive Nissan zaibatsu in the 1920s. Recognizing the absolute critical importance of the rapidly growing automotive industry, he consolidated several smaller motor companies (including DAT Motors) into Nissan Motor Co.
William Gorham
William Gorham was an American engineer who moved to Japan and played an absolutely vital role in the founding of Nissan.
Masujiro Hashimoto
Masujiro Hashimoto founded the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works in 1911, which produced the 'DAT' car.
Rokuro Aoyama
Rokuro Aoyama was one of the three primary financial backers (alongside Den and Takeuchi) of Hashimoto's original company, providing the 'A' in the 'DAT' acronym.
VinFast
Pham Nhat Vuong
Pham Nhat Vuong is the founder and chairman of Vingroup and is ranked by Forbes as Vietnam's richest person.
CEOs and their tenures
Nissan
- Katsuji Kawamata1957–1973
President & Chairman
Transformed Nissan from a domestic Japanese producer into an international export leader.
Source - Carlos Ghosn1999–2017
Executive Officer & CEO
Rescued Nissan from imminent bankruptcy and built the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi global alliance.
Source - Hiroto Saikawa2017–2019
Chief Executive Officer
Hiroto Saikawa served as chief executive of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. from 2017 to 2019.
Source - Makoto Uchida2019–2025
Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO
Returned Nissan to profit after the pandemic, but stepped down in March 2025 after results collapsed in FY2024 and merger talks with Honda failed.
Source - Ivan Espinosa2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Mexican-born former chief planning officer who succeeded Makoto Uchida as CEO on April 1, 2025. Launched the Re:Nissan cost and restructuring plan and led Nissan back to a quarterly operating profit in Q1 FY2026.
Source
VinFast
- Le Thi Thu Thuy2021–2026
Global CEO; later Chairwoman
As Global CEO, she acts as the absolute driving operational force attempting to brutally pivot the Vietnamese conglomerate into a massive global electric vehicle powerhouse against intense Western skepticism.
Source - Pham Nhat Vuong2024–2026
Founder; Global Chief Executive Officer
Founded VinFast in 2017 as Vingroup chairman and took the CEO role himself in January 2024, leading the VF 3 launch and the opening of plants in Ha Tinh, India and Indonesia before handing the post to his son in September 2026.
Source - Pham Nhat Quan Anh2026–present
Global Chief Executive Officer
Appointed chairman of VinFast's board effective May 23, 2026, replacing Le Thi Thu Thuy, then named global CEO in September 2026, succeeding his father, founder Pham Nhat Vuong. He also became chairman and CEO of VinFast Vietnam.
Source
Timeline: Nissan and VinFast side by side
1914Nissan
Creation of the DAT Car: Masujiro Hashimoto creates the DAT passenger car at Kaishinsha in Tokyo, establishing the engineering roots of Datsun and Nissan.
1933Nissan
Founding of Jidosha Seizo in Yokohama: Yoshisuke Aikawa establishes Jidosha Seizo Co., Ltd. in Yokohama, renamed Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in 1934.
1958Nissan
Mobilgas Round Australia Trial Victory: Datsun 1000 captures class honors in the 10,000-mile endurance trial, launching Nissan's international export offensive.
1966Nissan
Merger with Prince Motor Company: Nissan absorbs Prince Motor Company, acquiring top aeronautical engineering talent, royal coachbuilding prestige, and the well-known Skyline and Gloria nameplates.
1969Nissan
Launch of Datsun 240Z and Skyline GT-R: Nissan releases the affordable inline-six Datsun 240Z sports coupe in the US and the dual-overhead-cam Skyline 2000GT-R in Japan, shattering European performanc…
1989Nissan
Infiniti Luxury Division & R32 GT-R Debut: Nissan launches Infiniti in North America with the Q45 flagship sedan and revives the R32 Skyline GT-R featuring ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive.
1999Nissan
Formation of Renault-Nissan Alliance: Facing $20B in corporate debt, Nissan forms an equity alliance with Renault S.A.; Carlos Ghosn launches the Nissan Revival Plan to rescue the company.
2010Nissan
Commercialization of 100% Electric Nissan Leaf: Nissan releases the Leaf, creating the modern mass-market electric vehicle segment and selling over 650,000 units globally.
2016Nissan
Acquisition of 34% Controlling Stake in Mitsubishi Motors: Nissan invests $2.2 billion to purchase a controlling 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, creating the three-way Alliance.
2017VinFast
VinFast founded
Broke ground on the Hai Phong car plant in September 2017.
2018VinFast
Paris Motor Show debut
Showed the Pininfarina-styled Lux A2.0 and Lux SA2.0.
2018VinFast
Acquired General Motors Vietnam
VinFast acquired General Motors Vietnam.
2019VinFast
Hai Phong plant opens
Began customer deliveries in Vietnam.
2020Nissan
Unveiling of Nissan NEXT Turnaround Plan: then-CEO Makoto Uchida unveils Nissan NEXT, rationalizing global capacity by 20% and focusing core investments on e-POWER and EVs.
2020VinFast
Acquired Lang Lang Proving Ground (Australia)
VinFast acquired Lang Lang Proving Ground (Australia).
2021VinFast
First Electric Car Delivered
VinFast began delivering its first electric car, the VF e34, in Vietnam in December 2021.
2022VinFast
EVs only
Ended petrol car production and shipped its first VF 8s to the US.
2023VinFast
Nasdaq listing (VFS)
Listed on August 15, 2023, after merging with Black Spade Acquisition Co.
2023VinFast
North Carolina Plant Groundbreaking
VinFast broke ground on a factory in Chatham County, North Carolina, in July 2023.
2024Nissan
Historic EV Collaboration with Honda: Nissan and Honda sign a strategic partnership to co-develop electric vehicle drive platforms, standardized core components, and automotive software OS.
2024VinFast
Founder named CEO
Pham Nhat Vuong became CEO in January; the VF 3 launched and North Carolina production was pushed to 2028.
2025Nissan
Honda merger talks end in February; Ivan Espinosa becomes CEO on April 1; Re:Nissan recovery plan announced in May.
2025VinFast
Revenue reaches ~$3.47 billion (VND 90.2 trillion)
Revenue of ~$3.47 billion (VND 90.2 trillion) on 196,919 EV deliveries; plants opened in Ha Tinh, India and Indonesia.
2026Nissan
FY2025 results show ~$80.4 billion (¥12.0 trillion) revenue and a ~$3.57 billion (¥533.1 billion) net loss; Q1 FY2026 operating profit returns to ~$522 million (¥77.9 billion).
2026VinFast
Pham Nhat Quan Anh becomes CEO
Became chairman in May and global CEO in September; North Carolina sued over the delayed plant in May.
Acquisitions
Nissan
- Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (34% Controlling Stake)2016$2.2B
- Mitsubishi Motors2016Undisclosed
- Prince Motor Company1966Undisclosed
VinFast
- Ngoc Hoi2026Undisclosed
- Future Investment Research and Development JSC2026Undisclosed
- VinES Energy Solutions2023Undisclosed
- Black Spade Acquisition Co.2023Undisclosed
- Lang Lang Proving Ground (Australia)2020Undisclosed
- General Motors Vietnam2018Undisclosed
Questions about Nissan vs VinFast
Who is the CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and VinFast?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is led by Ivan Espinosa and VinFast is led by Pham Nhat Quan Anh. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. founded vs VinFast?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1933 — 84 years before VinFast, which was founded in 2017. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger VinFast.
How many employees does Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. have compared to VinFast?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. employs approximately 120,079 people. A verified employee count for VinFast is not currently available.
Where are Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and VinFast headquartered?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Japan and VinFast is headquartered in Vietnam. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and VinFast?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. was founded by Yoshisuke Aikawa, William Gorham, Masujiro Hashimoto, Rokuro Aoyama. VinFast was founded by Pham Nhat Vuong.
Which company has a longer operating history — Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. or VinFast?
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has been operating for approximately 93 years, making it the more established of the two companies. VinFast has been in operation for around 9 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 Nissan vs VinFast overview