COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 522110

Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (Except Copyrighted Works)

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

32companies1783–1997founding years32still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedBank of IrelandFoundedBank of Ireland
1783
FoundedCo-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.
1863
FoundedCoop Schweiz Genossenschaftsverband
1890
FoundedGeneral Electric Company
1892
FoundedGrupo Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V.
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedBank Hapoalim B.M.FoundedBank Hapoalim B.M.
1921
FoundedArcher-Daniels-Midland Company
1923
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedHang Seng Bank Ltd.
1933
FoundedUnited Overseas Bank Ltd.
1935
FoundedLondon Scottish Bank plc
1936
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedOtto Versand (GmbH & Co.)FoundedOtto Versand (GmbH & Co.)
1949
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBNP Paribas Group
1966
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedEmpresas Almacenes Paris S.A.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedBack Yard Burgers, Inc.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedNordea AB
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

ABN AMRO Holding, N.V. →
Active · The Netherlands
Rooted in 19th-century Dutch East Indies trade, ABN AMRO Holding, NV has grown into a major international bank with…
ABN AMRO Holding, N.V. →
Active · The Netherlands
Rooted in 19th-century Dutch East Indies trade, ABN AMRO Holding, NV has grown into a major international bank with…
Bank of Ireland →
Active · founded 1783 · Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is the oldest bank in Ireland.
Bank of Ireland →
Active · founded 1783 · Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is the oldest bank in Ireland.
Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd. →
Active · founded 1863 · United Kingdom
Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.
Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd. →
Active · founded 1863 · United Kingdom
Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.
Coop Schweiz Genossenschaftsverband →
Active · founded 1890 · Switzerland
Coop Schweiz Genossenschaftsverband is Switzerland's second-largest food products retailer, behind fellow cooperative…
Coop Schweiz Genossenschaftsverband →
Active · founded 1890 · Switzerland
Coop Schweiz Genossenschaftsverband is Switzerland's second-largest food products retailer, behind fellow cooperative…
General Electric Company →
Active · founded 1892
The history of General Electric Company is a significant part of the history of technology in the United States.
General Electric Company →
Active · founded 1892
The history of General Electric Company is a significant part of the history of technology in the United States.
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1899 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A.
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1899 · Mexico
Grupo Financiero Banorte, S.A.
Bank Hapoalim B.M. →
Active · founded 1921 · Israel
Bank Hapoalim B.M.
Bank Hapoalim B.M. →
Active · founded 1921 · Israel
Bank Hapoalim B.M.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company →
Active · founded 1923
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) is one of the world's leading processors and distributors of agricultural products…
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company →
Active · founded 1923
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM) is one of the world's leading processors and distributors of agricultural products…
Hang Seng Bank Ltd. →
Active · founded 1933 · Hong Kong
As Hang Seng entered the new century, its role within HSBC's regional ambitions became more clear, as HSBC targeted the…
Hang Seng Bank Ltd. →
Active · founded 1933 · Hong Kong
As Hang Seng entered the new century, its role within HSBC's regional ambitions became more clear, as HSBC targeted the…
United Overseas Bank Ltd. →
Active · founded 1935 · Singapore
United Overseas Bank Ltd.
United Overseas Bank Ltd. →
Active · founded 1935 · Singapore
United Overseas Bank Ltd.
London Scottish Bank plc →
Active · founded 1936 · United Kingdom
London Scottish Bank plc (LSB) is one of the United Kingdom's leading providers of credit to the "sub-prime"…
London Scottish Bank plc →
Active · founded 1936 · United Kingdom
London Scottish Bank plc (LSB) is one of the United Kingdom's leading providers of credit to the "sub-prime"…
Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
While Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) is the world's largest mail-order company with subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe,…
Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) →
Active · founded 1949 · Germany
While Otto Versand (GmbH & Co.) is the world's largest mail-order company with subsidiaries and affiliates in Europe,…
BNP Paribas Group →
Active · founded 1966 · France
1920s:Banque Nationale de Crédit merges with Banque Fran&ccedilse pour le Commerce et l'Industrie.
BNP Paribas Group →
Active · founded 1966 · France
1920s:Banque Nationale de Crédit merges with Banque Fran&ccedilse pour le Commerce et l'Industrie.
Empresas Almacenes Paris S.A. →
Active · founded 1973 · Chile
Empresas Almacenes Paris S.A.
Empresas Almacenes Paris S.A. →
Active · founded 1973 · Chile
Empresas Almacenes Paris S.A.
Back Yard Burgers, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
Back Yard Burgers, Inc.
Back Yard Burgers, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
Back Yard Burgers, Inc.
Nordea AB →
Active · founded 1997 · Sweden
First off the starting block among pan-European banking mergers--a trend expected to boom in the early years of the…
Nordea AB →
Active · founded 1997 · Sweden
First off the starting block among pan-European banking mergers--a trend expected to boom in the early years of the…
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