Schroders' History

With a history of over 200 years, Schroders' success is due to an ability to create value for clients and shareholders during times of change in terms of client needs and financial markets. It is also due to identifying opportunities and business segments most suited to our style of working.

Our independence has allowed us to take a distinctive and entrepreneurial approach to business strategy.

• 1804 - Johann Heinrich Schröder became a partner in his brother's London based firm.
• 1818 - Johann Heinrich Schröder established his own company, J. Henry Schröder & Co.
• 1850 – The Schröder Stiftung, a charitable trust, was launched.
• 1850s-1860s - J. Henry Schröder & Co. evolved from an anglo-german merchant company to a renowned merchant bank.
• 1870 - Schroders introduced the Japanese Government's first foreign loan to the London Market.
• 1895 - (Rudolph) Bruno Schröder, became a partner.
• 1910 - Bruno Schroder inherited the London firm.
• 1923 - J. Henry Schröder Banking Corporation, known as Schrobanco, was launched and traded on Wall Street.
• 1940 - Helmut Schröder became the firm's senior partner. He also became Chairman of Schrobanco which continued to develop as an independently managed US banking firm.
• 1957 - The name of J. Henry Schröder & Co. was anglicised and the partnership was converted into a private company.
• 1959 - Schroders became a quoted public company and was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Helmut Schroder was Chairman until 1965.
• 1960s-1970s - Schroders developed a presence in each of the major financial markets of the world. Subsidiary and Associated companies were established to undertake investment banking activities in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland and other Continental European countries.
• 1962 - Schroders merged with Helbert, Wagg & Co., a stock broking firm founded in 1823, which specialised in issues for domestic clients and developed an important investment advisory side to its business.
• 1986 - Schroders acquired a 50% interest in Wertheim & Co. Inc., a leading New York investment bank and securities firm and Schrobanco was sold to the Industrial Bank of Japan.
• 1994 - Schroders acquired the remaining 50% of Wertheim which it later renamed Schroder & Co. Inc.
• 2000 - Schroders sold its investment banking business to Salomon Smith Barney. Asset management and related businesses now comprise the whole of Schroders plc's business.
• 2001 - Schroders acquired Beaumont, an absolute return asset management business focusing on high net worth individuals, family offices and professional investors.
• 2005 - Schroders entered into an agreement with the Bank of Communications to establish a joint venture fund management company in China.
• 2006 - Schroders acquired NewFinance Capital, a London based manager of funds of hedge funds.
• 2007 - Schroders acquired Aareal Asset Management GmbH, a Pan Euorpean property asset manager based in Germany. Schroders entered into a partnership with Citibank to make international mutual funds available in China.
• February 2008 - Schroders acquired the Singapore-based private client advisory unit of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
• March 2008 - Schroders announces that it has reached agreement to acquire Swiss Re Asset Management Funds (Switzerland) AG, the Swiss third party fund management business of Swiss Re. The business being acquired manages six funds, focused on European equities, capital protected products, global balanced and property.