Samsung vs Sony: Founders, CEOs and History
Samsung was founded in 1969 by Lee Byung-chul and is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon. Sony was founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka, Akio Morita and is led by Hiroki Totoki.
Company facts
Founders
Samsung
Lee Byung-chul
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung Sanghoe in Daegu in 1938, trading dried fish, produce and noodles.
Sony
Masaru Ibuka
Masaru Ibuka was an absolutely legendary Japanese electrical engineer, fiercely visionary industrial pioneer, and the profoundly influential technical patriarch fundamentally responsible for inventing the highly revolutionary electronics that built the massive…
Akio Morita
Akio Morita co-founded Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo (Sony) in 1946 and served as its chairman and chief executive through much of the company's global expansion phase.
CEOs and their tenures
Samsung
- Jong-Hee Han2022–2025
Vice Chairman and CEO
A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand. He died suddenly in March 2025 while in office.
Source - Jay Y. Lee2022–present
Executive Chairman
Grandson of the founder and son of Lee Kun-hee. He was convicted in the 2017 bribery case and pardoned in 2022, and became Executive Chairman in October 2022. In 2025 the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in the separate merger and accounting fraud case.
Source - Jun Young-hyun2024–present
Vice Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device Solutions
Head of the semiconductor (Device Solutions) division and memory business; sole CEO for part of 2025 after Han Jong-hee's death, then co-CEO with TM Roh from November 2025.
Source - Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh)2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device eXperience
Longtime head of the mobile business. Acting head of the Device eXperience division after Han Jong-hee died in March 2025, and formally named co-CEO in November 2025.
Source
Sony
- Kenichiro Yoshida2018–2025
Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer
Yoshida led Sony through a major shift toward entertainment, games, music, image sensors, and disciplined capital allocation before handing the CEO role to Hiroki Totoki.
Source - Hiroki Totoki2025–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Totoki leads Sony after years as a senior finance and operations executive. The FY2025 profile under his leadership is centered on continuing operations after the Sony Financial Group partial spin-off, with ~$83.6B (JPY 12.479620T) in continuing sales and ~$9.…
Source
Timeline: Samsung and Sony side by side
1938Samsung
Samsung Group begins
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung as a trading company before later generations expanded the group into electronics and industry.
1946Sony
Company Founded
Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita incorporated Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation) on May 7, 1946, with 190,000 yen in initial capital. The company's stated purpose was to develop and manufacture telecommunications equipment.
1950Sony
Japan's First Tape Recorder
Sony shipped the G-Type tape recorder Japan's first commercially produced magnetic recording device.
1955Sony
First Transistor Radio
Sony released the TR-55, Japan's first transistor radio, followed in 1957 by the TR-63 the world's first truly pocket-sized transistor radio. These products established Sony's global reputation and generated its first meaningful export revenues.
1958Sony
Renamed Sony Corporation
Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. Formally renamed itself Sony Corporation, adopting the brand name it had used for export products. The company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in the same year, raising capital for expanded manufacturing.
1961Sony
First Japanese Company on NYSE
Sony became the first Japanese company to list American Depositary Receipts on the New York Stock Exchange, gaining access to American capital markets and enhancing its US brand credibility with institutional investors and retail partners simultaneously.
1969Samsung
Samsung Electronics established
Samsung Electronics Industry Co. Ltd. was established as the group entered electronics manufacturing.
1977Samsung
Korea Semiconductor acquired
Samsung acquired Korea Semiconductor, a key step toward memory and component manufacturing leadership.
1979Sony
Walkman Launch
Sony introduced the Walkman TPS-L2 in July 1979 a portable cassette player with no recording capability that Akio Morita championed against significant internal skepticism.
1982Sony
First Commercial CD Player
Sony launched the CDP-101, the world's first commercial compact disc player, in Japan in October 1982.
1987Sony
CBS Records Acquisition
Sony acquired CBS Records for approximately $2 billion, gaining control of Columbia, Epic, and RCA record labels and a catalog that included artists from Michael Jackson to Bruce Springsteen.
1989Sony
Columbia Pictures Acquisition
Sony acquired Columbia Pictures Entertainment for $3.4 billion in a transaction widely criticized as Japanese corporate hubris.
1993Samsung
New Management initiative
Lee Kun-hee launched the New Management push to raise quality, design, and global competitiveness.
1994Sony
PlayStation Launch in Japan
Sony launched the original PlayStation console in Japan on December 3, 1994, followed by the US launch in September 1995. The console sold 102 million units globally over its lifetime and established Sony as the dominant force in video game hardware.
2017Samsung
Harman acquisition closes
Samsung completed the Harman acquisition, expanding into connected car systems and premium audio.
2020Sony
PlayStation 5 Launch
Sony launched the PlayStation 5 in November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, generating demand that outpaced supply for nearly two years.
2023Sony
Bungie Acquisition Completed
Sony completed its $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie, the studio behind Destiny 2, in July 2022.
2025Samsung
TM Roh joins Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO
Samsung named TM Roh Head of Device eXperience and CEO, joining Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO.
2025Samsung
Annual revenue reaches ~$237B (KRW 333.6T)
Samsung Electronics reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025 annual revenue and ~$31 billion (KRW 43.6 trillion) in operating profit.
2026Sony
Sony reports FY2025 results after Financial Services spin-off
Sony reported FY2025 continuing-operations sales of ~$83.6B (JPY 12.479620T) and explained that the Sony Financial Group spin-off created a discontinued-operation accounting loss.
Acquisitions
Sony
- Bungie2022$3.6B
- Crunchyroll2021$1.2B
- Columbia Pictures Entertainment1989$3.4B
- CBS Records1987$2B
Questions about Samsung vs Sony
Who is the CEO of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon and Sony Group Corp. is led by Hiroki Totoki. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. founded vs Sony Group Corp.?
Sony Group Corp. was founded in 1946 — 23 years before Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1969. Sony Group Corp.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have compared to Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. employs approximately 259,149 people, while Sony Group Corp. employs approximately 94,900. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 259,149 employees, compared to Sony Group Corp.'s 94,900. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp. headquartered?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is headquartered in South Korea and Sony Group Corp. is headquartered in Japan. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corp.?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded by Lee Byung-chul. Sony Group Corp. was founded by Masaru Ibuka, Akio Morita.
Which company has a longer operating history — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Sony Group Corp.?
Sony Group Corp. has been operating for approximately 80 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 57 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 Samsung vs Sony overview