Volkswagen vs Xiaomi: Founders, CEOs and History
Volkswagen was founded in 1937 by Ferdinand Porsche and is led by Oliver Blume. Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by Lei Jun, Lin Bin and is led by Lei Jun.
Company facts
Volkswagen
- Founded
- 1937
- Headquarters
- Wolfsburg, Germany
- Current CEO
- Oliver Blume
- Employees
- 663,000
Xiaomi
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Current CEO
- Lei Jun
- Employees
- 56,531
Founders
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.
Xiaomi
Lei Jun
Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 and is its chairman and CEO. He set the company's early strategy of selling well-specified phones online at low prices, built the MIUI user community, and later led Xiaomi's 2018 Hong Kong listing.
Lin Bin
Lin Bin co-founded Xiaomi in 2010 and served as its president, overseeing early phone development and supply-chain relationships. He handed the president role to others in 2019 and continued as vice chairman of the board.
CEOs and their tenures
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Crucial CEO who managed the extremely difficult, highly risky transition away from the iconic but severely outdated Beetle toward modern, front-wheel-drive water-cooled cars (like the Golf).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
Xiaomi
- Lei Jun2010–present
Founder, Chairman and CEO
Sets Xiaomi's product and ecosystem strategy and leads the EV business.
Source - Lin Bin2010–present
Co-founder and Vice Chairman
Co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun and served as president during its early growth before moving to the vice chairman role.
Source - Lu Weibing2022–present
President
Runs day-to-day operations of the group, having earlier led the Redmi brand and international business.
Source
Timeline: Volkswagen and Xiaomi 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.
1974Volkswagen
Golf production begins
The Golf gave Volkswagen a modern front-engine, front-wheel-drive compact platform after the Beetle era.
2010Xiaomi
Xiaomi Founded
Lei Jun and seven co-founders establish Xiaomi in Beijing and release the MIUI Android software.
2011Xiaomi
Mi 1 Launches
Xiaomi launches its first smartphone, sold online.
2012Volkswagen
Porsche consolidated
Porsche became a controlled sport-luxury profit anchor within Volkswagen Group.
2014Xiaomi
India Entry and $45B Valuation
Xiaomi enters India and raises funding at a reported $45B valuation.
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.
2018Xiaomi
Hong Kong IPO
Xiaomi lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 1810 with a weighted voting rights structure.
2021Xiaomi
EV Entry Announced
Xiaomi announces it will build electric vehicles and sets up a dedicated EV subsidiary.
2021Xiaomi
Acquired DeepMotion
Xiaomi acquired DeepMotion for $77 million. Autonomous-driving technology company acquired to support Xiaomi's EV program.
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.
2024Volkswagen
Rivian software joint venture
Volkswagen and Rivian launched a software joint venture targeting next-generation electrical architecture.
2024Xiaomi
SU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the SU7 electric sedan in March 2024 and begins deliveries.
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.
2025Xiaomi
Record Year and YU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the YU7 SUV, delivers 411,082 vehicles, and reports FY2025 revenue of ~$63.6B (RMB457.3B).
2026Xiaomi
Memory Costs Hit Profit
Q1 revenue falls 10.9% to ~$13.8B (RMB99.1B) and Q2 revenue falls 6.1% to ~$15.1B (RMB108.9B) as memory-chip costs squeeze margins.
Acquisitions
Volkswagen
- Porsche AG2012Undisclosed
- Bentley Motors1998Undisclosed
- Auto Union / Audi1965Undisclosed
Questions about Volkswagen vs Xiaomi
Who is the CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Xiaomi Corp.?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is led by Oliver Blume and Xiaomi Corp. is led by Lei Jun. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft founded vs Xiaomi Corp.?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1937 — 73 years before Xiaomi Corp., which was founded in 2010. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Xiaomi Corp..
How many employees does Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft have compared to Xiaomi Corp.?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft employs approximately 663,000 people, while Xiaomi Corp. employs approximately 56,531. Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has the larger workforce at 663,000 employees, compared to Xiaomi Corp.'s 56,531. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Xiaomi Corp. headquartered?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is headquartered in Germany and Xiaomi Corp. is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and Xiaomi Corp.?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft was founded by Ferdinand Porsche. Xiaomi Corp. was founded by Lei Jun, Lin Bin.
Which company has a longer operating history — Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft or Xiaomi Corp.?
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has been operating for approximately 89 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Xiaomi Corp. has been in operation for around 16 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 Volkswagen vs Xiaomi overview