TCS vs Volkswagen: Founders, CEOs and History
TCS was founded in 1968 by J.R.D. Tata, F.C. Kohli and is led by K Krithivasan. Volkswagen was founded in 1937 by Ferdinand Porsche and is led by Oliver Blume.
Company facts
TCS
- Founded
- 1968
- Headquarters
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Current CEO
- K Krithivasan
- Employees
- 593,798
Volkswagen
- Founded
- 1937
- Headquarters
- Wolfsburg, Germany
- Current CEO
- Oliver Blume
- Employees
- 663,000
Founders
TCS
J.R.D. Tata
J.R.D. Tata was chairman of Tata Sons from 1938 to 1991. Under his leadership the group set up Tata Computer Centre in 1968, which became Tata Consultancy Services, initially to provide data-processing and management-consultancy services to Tata companies.
F.C. Kohli
Faqir Chand Kohli (1924-2020) moved from Tata Electric Companies to lead TCS in 1969 and served as its first general manager and later CEO until 1996.
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
TCS
- F. C. Kohli1969–1996
Co-founder and First CEO
By the time Kohli stepped down from executive responsibility in 1996, TCS-trained programmers numbered in the hundreds of thousands and had helped launch India's broader IT-export industry, earning Kohli the title 'Father of the Indian IT Industry' and India's…
Source - N. Chandrasekaran2009–2017
CEO
He became chairman of Tata Sons in February 2017 and also chairs TCS's board and Air India.
Source - Rajesh Gopinathan2017–2023
CEO and Managing Director
Under Gopinathan, TCS shares nearly tripled, revenue almost doubled, and profit rose about 60% over his six-year tenure -- one of the strongest CEO track records in Indian corporate history.
Source - K. Krithivasan2023–present
CEO and Managing Director
Under Krithivasan, TCS crossed $30 billion in annual revenue in FY2026 and grew its annualized AI revenue run rate to $2.6 billion by Q1 FY2027, even as dollar revenue was roughly flat amid weak discretionary IT spending.
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: TCS and Volkswagen side by side
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.
1965Volkswagen
Audi foundation added
Volkswagen acquired Auto Union from Daimler-Benz, creating the foundation for modern Audi.
1968TCS
TCS is founded
Tata Consultancy Services begins inside the Tata Group.
1969TCS
F.C. Kohli Joins as First CEO
F.C. Kohli is brought in on deputation to lead TCS, then a 10-consultant operation, and begins building an industrial, assembly-line approach to software delivery.
1974Volkswagen
Golf production begins
The Golf gave Volkswagen a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact platform after the Beetle era.
2001TCS
CMC Limited Stake Acquired
TCS acquires a majority stake in CMC Limited from the Government of India, adding systems-integration and public-sector technology capability.
2001TCS
TCS Crosses $1 Billion in Revenue
TCS becomes the first Indian IT services company to cross $1 billion in annual revenue, cementing its position as an industry leader.
2004TCS
TCS lists publicly
TCS completes its IPO and becomes one of India's most important listed technology companies.
2009TCS
TCS crosses major global scale thresholds
TCS expands globally across industries and delivery centers under new then-CEO N. Chandrasekaran.
2012Volkswagen
Porsche consolidated
Porsche became a controlled sport-luxury profit anchor within Volkswagen Group.
2013TCS
N. Chandrasekaran Becomes CEO
Chandrasekaran becomes CEO, leading TCS through a period of rapid international expansion before his 2017 elevation to Tata Sons chairman.
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.
2018Volkswagen
Herbert Diess becomes CEO
Herbert Diess became CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft in 2018. Chief executive of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft from 2018 to 2022.
2020TCS
F.C. Kohli Passes Away
F.C. Kohli, TCS co-founder and first CEO, dies at age 96, having lived to see the company he helped build become one of the worlds largest IT services firms.
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.
2023TCS
K. Krithivasan becomes CEO
K. Krithivasan becomes CEO and managing director of TCS, succeeding Rajesh Gopinathan.
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.
2026TCS
FY2026 revenue is reported
TCS reports FY2026 revenue of $30.017B and net margin of 19.8%.
2026TCS
Q1 FY2027 AI run-rate grows
TCS reports Q1 FY2027 revenue of $7.624B and annualized AI revenue of $2.6B.
2026TCS
Tata Sons chairman succession opens
On August 12, 2026, N. Chandrasekaran said he would not seek another term as Tata Sons chairman after February 2027; TCS shares fell about 4% on the news.
Acquisitions
TCS
- W12 Studios2018Undisclosed
- Citigroup Global Services2008$505M
- CMC Limited2001Undisclosed
Volkswagen
- Porsche AG2012Undisclosed
- Bentley Motors1998Undisclosed
- Auto Union / Audi1965Undisclosed
Questions about TCS vs Volkswagen
Who is the CEO of Tata Consultancy Services Limited and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
Tata Consultancy Services Limited is led by K Krithivasan 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 Tata Consultancy Services Limited founded vs Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1937 — 31 years before Tata Consultancy Services Limited, which was founded in 1968. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Tata Consultancy Services Limited.
How many employees does Tata Consultancy Services Limited have compared to Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
Tata Consultancy Services Limited employs approximately 593,798 people, while Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft employs approximately 663,000. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has the larger workforce at 663,000 employees, compared to Tata Consultancy Services Limited's 593,798. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Tata Consultancy Services Limited and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft headquartered?
Tata Consultancy Services Limited is headquartered in India 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 Tata Consultancy Services Limited and Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
Tata Consultancy Services Limited was founded by J.R.D. Tata, F.C. Kohli. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded by Ferdinand Porsche.
Which company has a longer operating history — Tata Consultancy Services Limited or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has been operating for approximately 89 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Tata Consultancy Services Limited has been in operation for around 58 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 TCS vs Volkswagen overview