The Baring Timeline
This timeline lists key events and transactions in Barings' history.
Either drag the arrow on the timeline indicator below or use your mouse scroll-wheel to navigate through the timeline.
Some of the entries have pictures - click the small picture frame icon to view them.
1760s
1762
View picture The firm was established on Christmas Day as John & Francis Baring & Co, merchants.
1763
The firm opened for business on New Year's Day.
1770s
1774
Account opened for the first North American client.
1775
Account opened for the first Russian client.
1780s
1783
Won contract won to supply stores to the British army in North America.
1790s
1795
View picture First resident agent, Alexander Baring, sent to the USA.
1796
British government bonds issued.
One million acres of land in the Territory of Maine acquired as an investment on joint account.
1800s
1801
Managed the firm's first bond issue for an overseas client, the Kingdom of Portugal.
1803
Appointed London agents of the United States government.
1810s
1817
Lead managed bond issues for the government of France to finance reparation payments to the allies.
Appointed London agents of the Bank of the United States.
1820s
1824
Managed the first bond issue for Argentina [Province of Buenos Aires].
1830s
1835
Appointed London agents for the government of Upper Canada.
Appointed Russian government's agents in London.
1850s
1852
View picture Managed the firm's first major issue of railroad bonds to finance the Canadian Grand Trunk Railway.
1860s
1860
View picture Re-established ship management activities, especially the management of clipper ships bringing China tea to Britain.
1880s
1881
Managed the firm's first bond issue for an Indian business, the Bengal Central Railway Co Ltd.
1882
Managed the Italian Government Currency Stabilisation Loan.
1886
View picture Floated the private partnership of Arthur Guinness, Son & Co as a public company.
1890s
1890
Reconstruction of Barings as a limited company, Baring Brothers & Co., Limited, following a liquiditiy crisis and rescue by a Bank of England loan.
1900s
1902
Commenced business for the Japanese government through lead managing the first yen denominated bond issue in London.
1909
Participated in the formation of the National Bank of Turkey.
Lead managed a bond issue for the City of Constantinople to finance the construction of the Karakeuy Bridge.
1910s
1914
Advised the Russian government on raising wartime finance and handled the banking arrangements required for the government's sterling purchases of war supplies.
1920s
1920
Advised major engineering company Sir WG Armstrong Whitworth & Co Ltd on its reconstruction and refinancing.
1922
Introduced the State of Czechoslovakia bonds to the international markets in order to finance monetary and infrastructure reconstruction.
1929
Advised on the reorganisation of the Lancashire cotton textile industry through the formation of the Lancashire Cotton Corporation.
1930s
1930
View picture Managed the issue of bonds for Underground Electric Railways Co of London Ltd in order to finance the extension of the London Underground and the reconstruction of several central London stations.
Advised on the reconstruction of Argentina's external public debt.
1950s
1951
Arranged the firm's first bond issue for the World Bank.
1955
Established an Investment Department to undertake asset management.
1960s
1962
Advised Courtaulds Ltd on its defence of a hostile takeover bid from ICI Ltd.
1966
Became a founder shareholder in the Australian merchant bank of Martin Corp Group. Disposed of 1983.
1969
Establishment of the Baring Foundation to receive 74 per cent of the equity of Baring Brothers & Co Limited.
1970s
1970
Participated, with four other banks, in the formation of the consortium bank of London Multinational Bank Ltd. Sold interest in 1977.
1972
Formed the Paris-based merchant bank of Baring Brothers SA.
1973
With London Multinational Bank Ltd and Sanwa Bank formed Baring Sanwa Multinational Bank Ltd at Hong Kong and Singapore.
Participated, with three other banks, in the formation of ICON Ltd, merchant bankers at Lagos, Nigeria.
1974
Opened a representative office at Tokyo.
Participated with other banks in the formation of Pertanian Malaysia Sanwa Multinational Berhad, merchant bankers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1978
Bought out remaining shareholders in Hong Kong and Singapore joint venture Pertanian Malaysia Sanwa Multinational Berhad. Renamed Baring Brothers Asia Ltd.
Established a representative office in New York which was reorganised in 1979 as Baring Brothers Inc.
1980s
1983
Formed Baring Brothers Halkerston & Partners Ltd, merchant bankers at Sydney, Australia.
1984
Acquired Japanese broking business of Henderson Crosthwaite which was then incorporated as Baring Far East Securities Ltd. Renamed Baring Securities Ltd in 1986.
Baring Brothers Hambrecht & Quist Ltd formed to manage venture capital funds.
1985
A holding company structure adopted. Barings Plc, now fully owned by the Baring Foundation, was the top level in the structure.
Wilson & Watford, London stockjobbers engaged in the gilt edged market, acquired and renamed Baring, Wilson & Watford.
Baring Securities admitted to membership of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1986
Baring Brothers and Baring Securities opened a representative/research office at Seoul, Korea.
Baring Capital Investors Ltd formed to advise funds providing development capital, in particular for management buy-outs.
Baring Securities Inc established in New York.
1987
Baring Securities [Singapore] Pte Ltd established.
1988
Reorganisation of Barings' business in Paris through formation of Baring Brothers [France] SA to provide corporate finance advisory services.
Formation of Baring Brothers [Espana] Ltd to provide corporate finance advisory services.
Baring Research Ltd established at Bangkok.
Baring Securities Inc opened an office at Los Angeles.
1989
Formation of Baring Brothers [Deutschland] GmbH at Frankfurt to provide corporate finance advisory services.
Formation of Baring Brothers [Italia] Srl to provide corporate finance advisory services.
Establishment of representative office at Osaka by Baring Securities. The office was upgraded to branch status in 1990.
Baring Securities opened branches at Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
The top holding company for Barings' investment management services was renamed Baring Asset Management Ltd and the London based companies centralised at new premises in the Broadgate Centre.
1990s
1990
Acquired a 40 per cent interest in Dillon Read, New York investment bankers. Baring Research SA de CV opened at Mexico City. Baring Securities [Philippines] Inc established at Manila. Baring Securities [Taiwan] Ltd established at Taipei.
1991
Baring Securities Argentina SA established at Buenos Aires.
1992
Baring Brothers opened a corporate finance office at Mexico City.
Baring Securities do Brazil Ltda established at Sao Paulo.
Baring Securities [Andean Pact] Ltda formed at Bogota, Colombia.
1993
Baring Securities Australian business merged with that of Mackintosh Securities Ltd.
Abbey National Baring Derivatives Ltd, a joint venture with Abbey National Plc, formed to do business in the interest swap options and currency swap markets.
Barings [Chile] Ltda established.
Baring Securities Inc Surcursal Del Peru established.
1994
Established a corporate finance representative office at Buenos Aires.
1995
Barings Plc became insolvent and its business was acquired by ING and later renamed ING Barings. Baring Brothers Ltd, Baring Brothers International Ltd and ING Baring Securities Ltd were initially the three major operating companies.
ING Barings in London moved to 60 London Wall.
2000s
2002
ING Barings dropped the Barings from its name entirely.
2004
ING Group finalised the sale of Baring Asset Management to MassMutual Financial Group and Northern Trust Corp.
2008
The Baring Archive and associated historical portraits were loaned by ING to The Baring Archive Limited, a charitable company established by ING to manage the collections and develop their use as an educational resource.
