Capital Group History
OUR HISTORY
We trace our roots back to the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Our founder, Jonathan Bell Lovelace, was an investing pioneer whose emphasis on fundamental research continues to guide us. Through periods of prosperity and uncertainty, market bubbles and declines, we’ve always put investors first.
Here’s a brief look at our history and some of Capital Group’s pioneering endeavours:
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The 1930s
1931
Capital Group is founded in Los Angeles by Jonathan Bell Lovelace.
1934
We assume management of The Investment Company of America, Capital Group's first fund and still in our investment line-up today.
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The 1940s
1943
Our New York office opens.
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The 1950s
1950
We determine to sell investment funds only through financial advisers - our belief in the value of advice continues to this day.
1953
An investment in Royal Dutch Petroleum makes Capital Group one of the first U.S.-based firms to invest outside North America.
1958
The Capital SystemTM, our approach to portfolio management, is established.
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The 1960s
1962
Our first European office opens, in Geneva.
1965
Associates in our Geneva office create the Capital International indices (now known as the Morgan Stanley Capital International S.A. indices) — the first set of stock market indices for non-U.S. markets.
1969
Capital Group launches a global equity strategy as its first Luxembourg-based fund.
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The 1970s
1973
Capital Group begins managing fixed income assets in dedicated bond portfolios.
1978
We begin managing segregated accounts outside the US.
1979
Our London office opens.
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The 1980s
1982
Our Tokyo office opens, followed by Hong Kong in 1983.
1986
In response to the World Bank’s request for a vehicle for institutions to invest in developing nations, we launch an emerging markets growth fund — the first of its kind.
1987
Capital Group acquires its one millionth investor.
1989
Our Singapore office opens.
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The 1990s
1997
Capital Group launches its first website.
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The 2000s
2000
We begin offering investment management services for individuals in Canada.
2003
We begin offering investment management services for individuals in Europe.
2008-2009
Our office in Mumbai, India, opens, followed by our office in Beijing, China. Both offices expand our emerging markets reach.
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The 2010s
2011
We open an office in Sydney.
2012
We open an office in Luxembourg.
2013
We open distribution offices in Milan and Zurich.
2014
We open a distribution office in Madrid.
2015
We open a distribution office in Frankfurt.
2016
We launch ‘Capital Ideas’, a content platform that shares investment knowledge and insights across Europe and Asia.
2017
We open a distribution office in Amsterdam.
2019
Our Luxembourg fund range reaches its 50th anniversary. Our London office reaches its 40th anniversary and our Singapore office its 30th anniversary.
We publish our first annual Global Citizenship Report, outlining how we invest on behalf of our clients, communities, employees and environment.
2020
We launch a firmwide ESG data platform ‘Ethos’, which allows the systematic integration of third-party and proprietary ESG information across the business.
Our research analysts and portfolio managers conduct more than 20,000 meetings with companies during the year as our investment group meets the challenges of investing through the global pandemic.
2021
Capital Group celebrates 90 years of helping clients reach their financial goals.
We celebrate 35 years of investing in emerging markets, having launched a pioneering emerging markets fund in 1986.
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The 2020s
2020
We launch an ESG (environmental, social and governance) data platform, Ethos, allowing the systematic integration of third-party and proprietary ESG information across the business.
2021
Capital Group celebrates 90 years of helping clients reach their financial goals.
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The Capital Group companies manage equities through three investment divisions that make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed income investment professionals provide fixed income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups.