Our history and core beliefs | Capital Group
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Our history and core beliefs

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: 

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Capital Group History - 1940s

    1943

    Our New York office opens.

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Capital Group History - 1990s

    1997

    Capital Group launches its first website.

  • Capital Group History - 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.

  • Timeline-2010-3-Frankfurt

    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.

1 The Great Depression lasted from 1929 to 1939, and was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialised world.

2 Volatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion or variance of returns. Measured by the standard deviation calculation. Standard deviation (absolute volatility) is a measure of the absolute variability of returns and the larger the standard deviation, the greater the likelihood (and risk) that a fund’s results will fluctuate from the average return.

3 A global stock index measures the change in stock prices of a hypothetical portfolio of global stocks.

4 A fund that normally invests in private, non-publicly traded companies and businesses.

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