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