Oracle vs Workday: Founders, CEOs and History
Oracle was founded in 1977 by Lawrence Joseph Ellison, Robert Nimrod Miner, Edward A. Oates and is led by Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia. Workday was founded in 2005 by Dave Duffield, Aneel Bhusri and is led by Aneel Bhusri.
Company facts
Founders
Oracle
Lawrence Joseph Ellison
Oracle possesses arguably the most aggressive, intensely competitive, and controversial founding story in the entire history of Silicon Valley, rooted entirely in a CIA contract and driven by arguably the most competitive billionaire in American business histo…
Robert Nimrod Miner
Bob Miner co-founded Oracle and served as the central technical architect behind the company's early database products. While Ellison drove sales and strategy, Miner focused on making the software work for demanding customers.
Edward A. Oates
Ed Oates co-founded Oracle in 1977 and played an important role in the company's early technical and product formation. He helped the young company take relational database concepts and present them in an usable, commercially credible way.
Workday
Dave Duffield
Dave Duffield founded PeopleSoft, which grew into a major HR and ERP software vendor before Oracle acquired it through a hostile takeover completed in early 2005.
Aneel Bhusri
Aneel Bhusri co-founded Workday in 2005. He was co-CEO with Dave Duffield, then sole CEO from 2014, and later shared the CEO role before handing it to Carl Eschenbach in February 2024 and becoming executive chair.
CEOs and their tenures
Oracle
- Hilary Maxson
Chief Financial Officer
CFO presenting Oracle's FY2027 guidance of at least $90 billion in revenue on the September 2026 earnings call.
Source - Larry Ellison1977–present
Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Technology Officer
Led Oracle as CEO from 1977 to 2014 and has since served as chairman and CTO, directing database and OCI technology strategy. Owns roughly 40% of Oracle shares.
Source - Safra Catz2014–2025
Executive Vice Chair (CEO 2014-2025)
Served as co-CEO from 2014 and sole CEO from 2019 until September 2025, when she became executive vice chair of the board.
Source - Clay Magouyrk2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Previously president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, where he led the OCI build-out from its early engineering team. Named co-CEO on September 22, 2025 with responsibility tied to Oracle's AI infrastructure expansion.
Source - Mike Sicilia2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Previously president of Oracle Industries, overseeing industry applications including Oracle Health. Named co-CEO on September 22, 2025.
Source
Workday
- Carl Eschenbach2022–2026
Former CEO
Joined as co-CEO in December 2022, became sole CEO in February 2024, and stepped down in February 2026; now a strategic advisor to the CEO.
Source - Zane Rowe2023–present
Chief Financial Officer
Leads finance and issued the fiscal 2027 subscription revenue and margin guidance.
Source - Aneel Bhusri2026–present
Co-founder, CEO, and Chair
Co-founded Workday in 2005, led it as co-CEO and CEO until 2024, and returned as CEO in February 2026.
Source
Timeline: Oracle and Workday side by side
1977Oracle
Oracle Founded
Larry Ellison, Bob Miner, and Ed Oates founded the company that became Oracle.
1994Oracle
Acquired Rdb
Oracle acquired Rdb in 1994.
2005Workday
Workday Founded
Dave Duffield and Aneel Bhusri found Workday after Oracle's takeover of PeopleSoft.
2010Oracle
Sun Microsystems Acquisition
Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, adding Java, Solaris, and hardware assets.
2012Workday
IPO
Workday lists on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2012; it later moves its listing to Nasdaq.
2018Workday
Adaptive Insights Acquired
Workday buys planning software company Adaptive Insights for about $1.55B, creating Workday Adaptive Planning.
2022Oracle
Cerner Acquisition Completed
Oracle completed the Cerner acquisition and expanded into healthcare data systems.
2024Workday
Carl Eschenbach Becomes Sole CEO
Eschenbach takes over as sole CEO in February 2024 and Bhusri becomes executive chair.
2025Oracle
Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia Named CEOs
Oracle promoted Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia to Chief Executive Officers; Safra Catz became Executive Vice Chair.
2025Workday
Paradox, Sana, and Pipedream Deals
Workday closes the Paradox and Sana acquisitions and agrees to acquire AI integration platform Pipedream.
2026Oracle
$67.357B FY2026 Revenue
Oracle reported record FY2026 total revenue of $67.357 billion.
2026Oracle
Q1 FY2027: $664B RPO
Oracle reported Q1 FY2027 revenue of $19.3B and RPO of $664B, and completed a $20B at-the-market common stock sale.
2026Workday
Aneel Bhusri Returns as CEO
Workday announces on February 9, 2026 that Bhusri is returning as CEO and Eschenbach is stepping down.
2026Workday
Fiscal 2026 Revenue of $9.552B
Workday reports fiscal 2026 revenue of $9.552B, up 13.1%, and GAAP net income of $693M.
2026Workday
Q2 Fiscal 2027 Results
Workday reports Q2 fiscal 2027 revenue of $2.649B and says AI drove more than 25% of new ACV.
Acquisitions
Oracle
- Cerner2022$28.3B
- NetSuite2016$9.3B
- Sun Microsystems2010$7.4B
- BEA Systems2008$8.5B
- Hyperion Solutions2007$3.3B
- Siebel Systems2006$5.8B
Workday
- Paradox2025Undisclosed
- Sana2025Undisclosed
- Pipedream2025Undisclosed
- HiredScore2024Undisclosed
- Peakon2021$700M
- Adaptive Insights2018$1.6B
Questions about Oracle vs Workday
Who is the CEO of Oracle Corporation and Workday, Inc.?
Oracle Corporation is led by Clay Magouyrk and Mike Sicilia and Workday, Inc. is led by Aneel Bhusri. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Oracle Corporation founded vs Workday, Inc.?
Oracle Corporation was founded in 1977 — 28 years before Workday, Inc., which was founded in 2005. Oracle Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Workday, Inc..
How many employees does Oracle Corporation have compared to Workday, Inc.?
Oracle Corporation employs approximately 141,000 people, while Workday, Inc. employs approximately 21,070. Oracle Corporation has the larger workforce at 141,000 employees, compared to Workday, Inc.'s 21,070. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Oracle Corporation and Workday, Inc. headquartered?
Both Oracle Corporation and Workday, Inc. are headquartered in United States, meaning they operate under the same primary regulatory and tax environment.
Who founded Oracle Corporation and Workday, Inc.?
Oracle Corporation was founded by Lawrence Joseph Ellison, Robert Nimrod Miner, Edward A. Oates. Workday, Inc. was founded by Dave Duffield, Aneel Bhusri.
Which company has a longer operating history — Oracle Corporation or Workday, Inc.?
Oracle Corporation has been operating for approximately 49 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Workday, Inc. has been in operation for around 21 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 Oracle vs Workday overview