TotalEnergies vs Visa: Founders, CEOs and History
TotalEnergies was founded in 1924 by Raymond Poincaré, Ernest Mercier and is led by Patrick Pouyanné. Visa was founded in 1958 by Dee Hock and is led by Ryan McInerney.
Company facts
TotalEnergies
- Founded
- 1924
- Headquarters
- Paris, France
- Current CEO
- Patrick Pouyanné
- Employees
- 100,000
Visa
- Founded
- 1958
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, California
- Current CEO
- Ryan McInerney
- Employees
- 34,100
Founders
TotalEnergies
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Poincaré was President of France during World War I and Prime Minister when his government pushed for a national oil company in 1924.
Ernest Mercier
Ernest Mercier was the industrialist chosen to set up and chair Compagnie Française des Pétroles.
Visa
Dee Hock
Dee Hock (1929-2022) was the founding CEO of National BankAmericard Inc., the bank-owned company that took over the BankAmericard licensing system from Bank of America in 1970 and adopted the Visa name in 1976.
CEOs and their tenures
TotalEnergies
- Thierry Desmarest1995–2007
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Under his leadership, Total more than doubled in size, becoming a dominant global supermajor capable of competing with Exxon and Shell.
Source - Christophe de Margerie2007–2014
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
He transformed Total into one of the most geographically diverse supermajors before his sudden death in a plane crash in 2014.
Source - Patrick Pouyanné2014–present
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
CEO since October 2014 and Chairman since December 2015, Pouyanné renamed the company TotalEnergies in 2021, expanded LNG and Integrated Power, and kept returns at the top of the majors (12.6% ROACE in 2025).
Source - Jean-Pierre Sbraire2019–present
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, he fortified the balance sheet during unprecedented energy market volatility following the geopolitical shocks of 2022.
Source
Visa
- Alfred F. Kelly Jr.2016–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Serving as CEO from 2016 to 2023, he heavily modernized the massive legacy network, aggressively integrating fintechs and preparing the network to process highly complex cryptocurrency transactions.
Source - Ryan McInerney2023–present
Chief Executive Officer
McInerney joined Visa in 2013 as president after senior roles at JPMorgan Chase and became chief executive on February 1, 2023, succeeding Alfred F. Kelly Jr.
Source
Timeline: TotalEnergies and Visa side by side
1924TotalEnergies
Compagnie Francaise des Petroles founded
The French state-backed oil company was created to secure access to petroleum resources and became the predecessor of TotalEnergies.
1954TotalEnergies
Total Brand Created
The company created the Total brand in 1954 to build a retail distribution network.
1958Visa
BankAmericard launched
Bank of America launched BankAmericard, the direct predecessor to Visa.
1976Visa
Visa name adopted
The network adopted the Visa name to support international acceptance and brand consistency.
1995TotalEnergies
Thierry Desmarest becomes CEO
Thierry Desmarest became CEO of TotalEnergies in 1995. Led Total from 1995 to 2007 and engineered the Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine combinations; remained Chairman until 2010.
1999TotalEnergies
Petrofina acquired; Elf Aquitaine follows in 2000
Total combined with Belgium's Petrofina in 1999 and Elf Aquitaine in 2000, operating as TotalFinaElf before reverting to Total in 2003.
2000TotalEnergies
Elf Aquitaine Acquired
Total acquired Elf Aquitaine in 2000, forming TotalFinaElf.
2007TotalEnergies
Christophe de Margerie becomes CEO
Christophe de Margerie became CEO of TotalEnergies in 2007. CEO from 2007 and Chairman from 2010 until his death in a plane accident at Moscow's Vnukovo airport in October 2014.
2008Visa
Visa IPO
Visa became a public company, changing the economics from a bank association structure to a shareholder-owned company.
2011TotalEnergies
Acquired SunPower (majority stake)
TotalEnergies acquired SunPower (majority stake).
2016Visa
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. becomes CEO
Alfred F. Kelly Jr. became CEO of Visa in 2016. Chief executive of Visa from December 2016 to January 2023, when Ryan McInerney succeeded him; Kelly then served as executive chairman.
2018TotalEnergies
Direct Energie acquired
Total bought French power and gas retailer Direct Energie, the base of its European retail electricity business.
2020Visa
Acquired Plaid (abandoned)
Visa acquired Plaid (abandoned) for $5.3 billion. Visa agreed in January 2020 to buy US data-connectivity fintech Plaid for USD 5.3 billion.
2021TotalEnergies
Total becomes TotalEnergies
The company changed its name to TotalEnergies to reflect a broader multi-energy strategy spanning oil, gas, electricity, renewables, and low-carbon energy.
2022Visa
Tink acquisition
Visa completed its purchase of Stockholm-based open banking platform Tink in March 2022.
2023Visa
Ryan McInerney becomes CEO
Ryan McInerney became Visa's CEO after serving as president.
2025TotalEnergies
2025 results
Revenues from sales of $182.344 billion, adjusted net income of $15.6 billion (down 15%), IFRS net income of $13.127 billion and a €3.40 dividend.
2025Visa
Revenue reaches $40.0B
Visa reported $40.0 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue.
2026TotalEnergies
Mozambique LNG full restart
On January 29, 2026, Patrick Pouyanné and President Daniel Chapo announced the full restart of the roughly $20 billion Mozambique LNG project after force majeure was lifted in November 2025.
2026TotalEnergies
Q2 2026 results
Adjusted net income of $6.0 billion and cash flow of $9.8 billion in the second quarter as higher oil prices tied to the Middle East conflict lifted earnings.
Acquisitions
TotalEnergies
- Direct Energie2018$1.6B
- Saft Groupe2016Undisclosed
- SunPower (majority stake)2011Undisclosed
- Petrofina and Elf Aquitaine1999Undisclosed
Questions about TotalEnergies vs Visa
Who is the CEO of TotalEnergies SE and Visa Inc.?
TotalEnergies SE is led by Patrick Pouyanné and Visa Inc. is led by Ryan McInerney. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was TotalEnergies SE founded vs Visa Inc.?
TotalEnergies SE was founded in 1924 — 34 years before Visa Inc., which was founded in 1958. TotalEnergies SE's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Visa Inc..
How many employees does TotalEnergies SE have compared to Visa Inc.?
TotalEnergies SE employs approximately 100,000 people, while Visa Inc. employs approximately 34,100. TotalEnergies SE has the larger workforce at 100,000 employees, compared to Visa Inc.'s 34,100. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are TotalEnergies SE and Visa Inc. headquartered?
TotalEnergies SE is headquartered in France and Visa Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded TotalEnergies SE and Visa Inc.?
TotalEnergies SE was founded by Raymond Poincaré, Ernest Mercier. Visa Inc. was founded by Dee Hock.
Which company has a longer operating history — TotalEnergies SE or Visa Inc.?
TotalEnergies SE has been operating for approximately 102 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Visa Inc. has been in operation for around 68 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 TotalEnergies vs Visa overview