Our History
LOOKING FORWARD BY LOOKING BACK
1762
John and Francis Baring & Co. (Barings) is Established
1803
Barings Finances Louisiana Purchase
Barings bought this territory from France, and sold it back to the newly-formed United States—nearly doubling the country's size
1830s
Barings Commences Direct Business with China
1824
Barings Manages First External Bond Issue for Argentina
1848
Barings Finances Mexican Cession (Now Southwest Portion of U.S.)
1902
Barings Forms First Yen-Denominated International Bond Issue for Japan
1940
David L. Babson & Co. Inc. (Babson) is Established
Boston-based firm that specializes in growth equities
1949
Arthur Guinness Son & Co. Becomes Barings’ First Formal Investment Advisory Client
1969
Barings Creates the Baring Foundation
Grows to become 10th largest U.K. grant-making charity by 1995
1973
Barings Becomes Advisor to Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority
1989
Barings Investment Management is Renamed Baring Asset Management (Barings)
1994
Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors Created
Real estate equity team spun off from MassMutual’s Investment Division
1995
ING Acquires Barings Following Collapse of Bank
MassMutual Acquires Babson
2000
MassMutual Merges Investment Division with Babson
2002
Babson Acquires Institutional Debt Management (IDM)
U.S. leveraged loan business
2004
Babson Acquires Duke Street Capital Debt Management
Leveraged loan business that allows firm to gain a presence in Europe
Babson is Renamed Babson Capital Management (Babson)
2005
MassMutual Acquires Barings from ING
Babson Establishes Real Assets Joint Venture Wood Creek Capital Management (Wood Creek)
Broadens firm's alternatives platform by enhancing private equity capabilities
2009
Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors (Cornerstone) Acquires London-Based Protego Real Estate Investors
2010
Babson Launches Innovative Global Loan Strategy
One of the first funds to invest across U.S. and European Loans
Cornerstone Becomes Subsidiary of Babson
2012
Barings Acquires SEI Asset Korea
2014
Babson Becomes Signatory to United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI)
Cornerstone Acquires Germany-Based Pamera Asset Management
2015
Babson Launches First Global Private Loan Fund
2016
Today’s Barings is Formed
MassMutual brings together Barings, Babson, Cornerstone and Wood Creek to create one global, diversified asset management organization: Barings
2018
Barings Acquires Triangle Capital Corporation (Renamed Barings BDC INC.)
Publicly listed business development company (BDC) making middle market investments
2019
Barings Launches Barings Social Impact
Associate-led philanthropic and community service initiative
2020
Barings Names Mike Freno Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Freno picked to lead the firm in its next phase of growth in serving its clients, communities and employees
Barings BDC Closes Merger with MVC Capital
The transaction creates additional scale for Barings Global Private Finance platform
2021
Barings BDC closes merger with Sierra Income Corporation
Enhances scale and earnings profile and positions the combined company as a market-leading BDC
Barings Announces 2030 Net Zero Target for Global Operations
A core component of the Firm’s commitment to fostering a more sustainable future
2022
Barings Acquires Altis Property Partners
Bolsters the firm’s expertise, capabilities, and presence in the Asia Pacific real estate markets
2023
Barings Acquires Gryphon Capital Investments
Expands Barings' global structured finance solutions in the Asia Pacific region
