Toyota vs Unilever: Founders, CEOs and History
Toyota was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda and is led by Kenta Kon. Unilever was founded in 1929 by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens and is led by Fernando Fernandez.
Company facts
Founders
Toyota
Kiichiro Toyoda
Kiichiro Toyoda (1894-1952) founded the Toyota Motor Corporation in 1937, spinning it out of his father's successful textile machinery business.
Sakichi Toyoda
Sakichi Toyoda was not the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation but his inventions and philosophy created the foundation on which it was built. His loom patents generated the capital Kiichiro needed to experiment with automobiles.
Unilever
William Hesketh Lever
William Hesketh Lever (later Lord Leverhulme) co-founded Lever Brothers with his brother James in 1885 and built it around Sunlight Soap, one of the first branded, individually wrapped soaps sold at mass scale.
Samuel van den Bergh
Samuel van den Bergh led Van den Bergh, a Dutch margarine maker that became one of Jurgens' main rivals. The two families combined their businesses into Margarine Unie in 1927, and Margarine Unie merged with Lever Brothers in 1929 to create Unilever.
Anton Jurgens
Anton Jurgens' family firm was among the first to manufacture margarine commercially in the Netherlands after the product was invented in France. Jurgens competed for decades with the Van den Bergh family before the two merged into Margarine Unie in 1927.
CEOs and their tenures
Toyota
- Akio Toyoda2009–2023
President and Chief Executive Officer (now Chairman)
Akio Toyoda took leadership during one of Toyota's hardest modern periods, including the global financial crisis and the unintended acceleration recall crisis.
Source - Koji Sato2023–2026
President and Chief Executive Officer (now Vice Chairman)
Koji Sato inherited a profitable but scrutinized Toyota.
Source - Kenta Kon2026–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, he managed the immense capital allocation required for Toyota's massive $35 billion commitment to fully electrify its vehicle lineup by 2030.
Source
Unilever
- Alan Jope2019–2023
Chief Executive Officer
Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
Source - Hein Schumacher2023–2025
Chief Executive Officer
Schumacher reset Unilever around fewer, bigger brands and set up the Ice Cream demerger before stepping down in February 2025.
Source - Fernando Fernandez2025–present
Chief Executive Officer
As CFO, the highly experienced Latin American executive enforces absolute financial discipline, attempting to restore investor confidence after years of sluggish stock performance.
Source
Timeline: Toyota and Unilever side by side
1884Unilever
Lever soap factory opens
William Hesketh Lever built the Port Sunlight soap business that became a key Unilever predecessor.
1929Unilever
Unilever created
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie merged to form Unilever.
1929Unilever
Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie Merge
Lever Brothers and the Dutch Margarine Unie merged in 1929 to form Unilever.
1937Toyota
Toyota Motor Corporation incorporated
Toyota Motor Corporation was incorporated after Kiichiro Toyoda expanded the Toyoda family business from automatic looms into automobile manufacturing.
1955Toyota
Toyopet Crown launched
The Toyopet Crown gave Toyota a postwar passenger-car platform and later became its first passenger car exported to the United States.
1966Toyota
Corolla launched
Toyota launched the Corolla, a compact car that became central to its mass-market export strategy.
1984Unilever
Acquired Brooke Bond
Unilever acquired Brooke Bond in 1984 for ~$515 million (£390 million).
1989Toyota
Lexus launches
Toyota launched Lexus with the LS 400, moving into premium vehicles with a quality-led strategy.
1989Unilever
Acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics
Unilever acquired Calvin Klein Cosmetics in 1989.
1993Unilever
Acquired Breyers
Unilever acquired Breyers in 1993.
1997Toyota
Prius launches in Japan
Toyota launched the Prius, turning hybrid technology into a mass-produced passenger vehicle.
2000Unilever
Acquired Maille
Unilever acquired Maille. Unilever acquired Maille in 2000.
2016Toyota
Acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
Toyota Motor acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd..
2019Unilever
Alan Jope becomes CEO
Alan Jope became CEO of Unilever in 2019. Jope simplified Unilever's legal structure and organisation, which made later portfolio separations easier.
2020Unilever
Legal structure unified
Unilever moved to a single parent company structure after decades with British and Dutch holding companies.
2020Unilever
Single Parent Company
Unilever unified its dual structure into a single parent company, Unilever PLC, in November 2020.
2021Toyota
Acquired Lyft Level 5
Toyota Motor acquired Lyft Level 5 for $550 million.
2021Toyota
Acquired CARMERA
Toyota Motor acquired CARMERA.
2025Unilever
Fernando Fernandez becomes CEO
Fernando Fernandez was appointed CEO effective March 2025.
2025Unilever
Ice Cream demerger reflected
Unilever reported 2025 results on a continuing-operations basis after the Ice Cream business demerger.
2026Toyota
Kenta Kon becomes president and CEO
Kenta Kon became president and CEO on April 1, 2026, while Koji Sato moved to vice chairman and chief industry officer.
2026Toyota
FY2026 sales revenues reach ~$340B (JPY 50.685T)
Toyota reported FY2026 sales revenues of ~$340 billion (JPY 50,684.952 billion) and net income attributable to Toyota Motor Corporation of ~$25.8 billion (JPY 3,848.098 billion).
Acquisitions
Toyota
- Lyft Level 52021$550M
- CARMERA2021Undisclosed
- Renovo Motors2021Undisclosed
- Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.2016Undisclosed
- Toyota Auto Body2012Undisclosed
Unilever
- Dr. Squatch2025Undisclosed
- Wild2025Undisclosed
- Minimalist2025Undisclosed
- Paula's Choice2021Undisclosed
- Sir Kensington's2017Undisclosed
- Weis2017Undisclosed
Questions about Toyota vs Unilever
Who is the CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation and Unilever PLC?
Toyota Motor Corporation is led by Kenta Kon and Unilever PLC is led by Fernando Fernandez. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Toyota Motor Corporation founded vs Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC was founded in 1929 — 8 years before Toyota Motor Corporation, which was founded in 1937. Unilever PLC's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Toyota Motor Corporation.
How many employees does Toyota Motor Corporation have compared to Unilever PLC?
Toyota Motor Corporation employs approximately 375,235 people, while Unilever PLC employs approximately 96,092. Toyota Motor Corporation has the larger workforce at 375,235 employees, compared to Unilever PLC's 96,092. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Toyota Motor Corporation and Unilever PLC headquartered?
Toyota Motor Corporation is headquartered in Japan and Unilever PLC is headquartered in United Kingdom. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Toyota Motor Corporation and Unilever PLC?
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda. Unilever PLC was founded by William Hesketh Lever, Samuel van den Bergh, Anton Jurgens.
Which company has a longer operating history — Toyota Motor Corporation or Unilever PLC?
Unilever PLC has been operating for approximately 97 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Toyota Motor Corporation has been in operation for around 89 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 Toyota vs Unilever overview