Toyota vs Workday: Founders, CEOs and History
Toyota was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda and is led by Kenta Kon. Workday was founded in 2005 by Dave Duffield, Aneel Bhusri and is led by Aneel Bhusri.
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.
Workday
Dave Duffield
Dave Duffield founded PeopleSoft, which grew into a major HR and ERP software vendor before Oracle acquired it through a hostile takeover completed in early 2005.
Aneel Bhusri
Aneel Bhusri co-founded Workday in 2005. He was co-CEO with Dave Duffield, then sole CEO from 2014, and later shared the CEO role before handing it to Carl Eschenbach in February 2024 and becoming executive chair.
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
Workday
- Carl Eschenbach2022–2026
Former CEO
As co-CEO and later sole CEO, he aggressively pushed the platform beyond HR into the broader and highly lucrative enterprise financial management sector.
Source - Zane Rowe2023–present
Chief Financial Officer
He strengthened the corporate balance sheet, enabling strategic AI acquisitions while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.
Source - Aneel Bhusri2026–present
Co-founder, CEO, and Chair
He scaled the company into a dominant cloud SaaS provider, fundamentally reshaping the enterprise software market before handing over the CEO reins.
Source
Timeline: Toyota and Workday side by side
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.
1989Toyota
Lexus launches
Toyota launched Lexus with the LS 400, moving into premium vehicles with a quality-led strategy.
1997Toyota
Prius launches in Japan
Toyota launched the Prius, turning hybrid technology into a mass-produced passenger vehicle.
2005Workday
Workday Founded
Dave Duffield and Aneel Bhusri found Workday after Oracle's takeover of PeopleSoft.
2006Workday
Workday launches
Workday, founded in March 2005, launches publicly in November 2006.
2012Workday
IPO
Workday lists on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2012; it later moves its listing to Nasdaq.
2016Toyota
Acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
Toyota Motor acquired Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd..
2018Workday
Adaptive Insights Acquired
Workday buys planning software company Adaptive Insights for about $1.55B, creating Workday Adaptive Planning.
2021Toyota
Acquired Lyft Level 5
Toyota Motor acquired Lyft Level 5 for $550 million.
2021Toyota
Acquired CARMERA
Toyota Motor acquired CARMERA.
2021Workday
Acquired Peakon
Workday acquired Peakon for $700 million.
2024Workday
Carl Eschenbach Becomes Sole CEO
Eschenbach takes over as sole CEO in February 2024 and Bhusri becomes executive chair.
2024Workday
Acquired HiredScore
Workday acquired HiredScore.
2025Workday
Paradox, Sana, and Pipedream Deals
Workday closes the Paradox and Sana acquisitions and agrees to acquire AI integration platform Pipedream.
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).
2026Workday
Aneel Bhusri Returns as CEO
Workday announces on February 9, 2026 that Bhusri is returning as CEO and Eschenbach is stepping down.
2026Workday
Fiscal 2026 Revenue of $9.552B
Workday reports fiscal 2026 revenue of $9.552B, up 13.1%, and GAAP net income of $693M.
2026Workday
Q2 Fiscal 2027 Results
Workday reports Q2 fiscal 2027 revenue of $2.649B and says AI drove more than 25% of new ACV.
Acquisitions
Toyota
- Lyft Level 52021$550M
- CARMERA2021Undisclosed
- Renovo Motors2021Undisclosed
- Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.2016Undisclosed
- Toyota Auto Body2012Undisclosed
Workday
- Paradox2025Undisclosed
- Sana2025Undisclosed
- Pipedream2025Undisclosed
- HiredScore2024Undisclosed
- Peakon2021$700M
- Adaptive Insights2018$1.6B
Questions about Toyota vs Workday
Who is the CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation and Workday, Inc.?
Toyota Motor Corporation is led by Kenta Kon and Workday, Inc. is led by Aneel Bhusri. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Toyota Motor Corporation founded vs Workday, Inc.?
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in 1937 — 68 years before Workday, Inc., which was founded in 2005. Toyota Motor Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Workday, Inc..
How many employees does Toyota Motor Corporation have compared to Workday, Inc.?
Toyota Motor Corporation employs approximately 375,235 people, while Workday, Inc. employs approximately 21,070. Toyota Motor Corporation has the larger workforce at 375,235 employees, compared to Workday, Inc.'s 21,070. 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 Workday, Inc. headquartered?
Toyota Motor Corporation is headquartered in Japan and Workday, Inc. is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Toyota Motor Corporation and Workday, Inc.?
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda, Sakichi Toyoda. Workday, Inc. was founded by Dave Duffield, Aneel Bhusri.
Which company has a longer operating history — Toyota Motor Corporation or Workday, Inc.?
Toyota Motor Corporation has been operating for approximately 89 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Workday, Inc. has been in operation for around 21 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 Workday overview