Samsung vs Wipro: Founders, CEOs and History
Samsung was founded in 1969 by Lee Byung-chul and is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon. Wipro was founded in 1945 by Mohamed Hasham Premji and is led by Srini Pallia.
Company facts
Founders
Samsung
Lee Byung-chul
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung Sanghoe in Daegu in 1938, trading dried fish, produce and noodles.
Wipro
Mohamed Hasham Premji
Mohamed Hasham Premji incorporated Western India Vegetable Products Limited in Amalner, Maharashtra in 1945 to produce vegetable oil.
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
He implemented a complete overhaul of the semiconductor division's engineering processes, issuing a rare public apology in 2024 for the company's technological delays.
Source - Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh)2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device eXperience
As head of the MX (Mobile eXperience) division, he heavily integrated AI features (Galaxy AI) into the S-series flagship phones to combat Apple's dominance in the premium tier.
Source
Wipro
- Abidali Neemuchwala2016–2020
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
He led the Appirio purchase and a push into digital services. He stepped down in 2020 and Thierry Delaporte succeeded him.
Source - Rishad Premji2019–present
Executive Chairman
As Executive Chairman, he enforced a strict return-to-office mandate and publicly cracked down on employee moonlighting, prioritizing utilization rates over aggressive headcount growth.
Source - Thierry Delaporte2020–2024
CEO and Managing Director
He decentralized Wipro's operating model into four massive strategic market units, though he struggled to match the organic growth rates of rivals like TCS and Infosys before stepping down.
Source - Srini Pallia2024–present
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Leads Wipro's push for large deals, consulting-led selling, and AI-enabled delivery.
Source
Timeline: Samsung and Wipro 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.
1945Wipro
Incorporated as Western India Vegetable Products
Mohamed Hasham Premji sets up a vegetable oil business in Amalner, Maharashtra.
1966Wipro
Azim Premji takes over
After his father's death, 21-year-old Azim Premji leaves Stanford to run the company.
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.
1993Samsung
New Management initiative
Lee Kun-hee launched the New Management push to raise quality, design, and global competitiveness.
2000Wipro
NYSE listing
Wipro lists American Depositary Shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker WIT.
2007Wipro
Acquired Infocrossing
Wipro Limited acquired Infocrossing for $600 million.
2010Samsung
Galaxy S Launched
Samsung launched the Galaxy S smartphone in June 2010.
2013Wipro
Non-IT businesses demerged
Consumer care, lighting, and infrastructure engineering businesses move to the unlisted Wipro Enterprises.
2016Samsung
Galaxy Note 7 Recall
Samsung recalled and then discontinued the Galaxy Note 7 in 2016 after battery fires.
2016Wipro
Appirio Acquired
Wipro bought the cloud services company Appirio in 2016 for about $500 million.
2017Samsung
Harman acquisition closes
Samsung completed the Harman acquisition, expanding into connected car systems and premium audio.
2019Wipro
Rishad Premji becomes Executive Chairman
Azim Premji retires from the executive role and his son Rishad Premji takes over as chairman.
2021Wipro
Capco acquisition completed
Wipro completes its $1.45 billion acquisition of financial services consultancy Capco.
2022Samsung
Jong-Hee Han becomes CEO
Jong-Hee Han became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2022. A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand.
2022Wipro
Acquired Rizing
Wipro Limited acquired Rizing for $540 million.
2024Samsung
Jun Young-hyun becomes CEO
Jun Young-hyun became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2024. 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.
2024Wipro
Srini Pallia named CEO
Srini Pallia succeeds Thierry Delaporte as CEO and Managing Director in April 2024.
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.
2025Samsung
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) becomes CEO
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2025. Longtime head of the mobile business.
2026Wipro
Rs 150 billion buyback approved
Alongside FY2026 results in April 2026, the board approves a Rs 150 billion share buyback.
Acquisitions
Samsung
- FlaktGroup2025$1.7B
- Xealth2025Undisclosed
- Harman International2017$8B
- SmartThings2014$200M
Wipro
- Harman Digital Transformation Solutions2025$375M
- Rizing2022$540M
- Capco2021$1.4B
- Appirio2016$500M
- Infocrossing2007$600M
Questions about Samsung vs Wipro
Who is the CEO of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Wipro Limited?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon and Wipro Limited is led by Srini Pallia. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. founded vs Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited was founded in 1945 — 24 years before Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1969. Wipro Limited'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 Wipro Limited?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. employs approximately 259,149 people, while Wipro Limited employs approximately 228,000. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 259,149 employees, compared to Wipro Limited's 228,000. 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 Wipro Limited headquartered?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is headquartered in South Korea and Wipro Limited is headquartered in India. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Wipro Limited?
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded by Lee Byung-chul. Wipro Limited was founded by Mohamed Hasham Premji.
Which company has a longer operating history — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. or Wipro Limited?
Wipro Limited has been operating for approximately 81 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 Wipro overview