Key Stats Founded: June 23, 1817 Headquarters: Montreal, Quebec, Canada (legal); Toronto, Ontario (operational) Total Assets: CAD $1.41 trillion (FY 2024) Employees: 53,597 (2024) Customers: 13 million globally Bank of Montreal (BMO) is Canada’s oldest incorporated bank and the fourth-largest bank in the country by assets. Founded in 1817 as Montreal Bank, the institution served as Canada’s de facto central bank until the Bank of Canada was established in 1935. Today, BMO Financial Group operates across North America through three main business segments: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets. The company maintains over 900 branches…
Author: Darius
Darius
I've spent over a decade researching and documenting the stories behind the world's most influential companies. What started as a personal fascination with how businesses evolve from small startups to global giants turned into CompaniesHistory.com—a platform dedicated to making corporate history accessible to everyone.
Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. history, company profile (overview) and history video Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. is an Italian banking group headquartered in Turin, Italy. HISTORY Intesa Sanpaolo was formed on January 1, 2007, through the merger of two Italian banking groups, Banca Intesa and Sanpaolo IMI. In 2021, UBI Banca was incorporated into Intesa Sanpaolo. Banca Intesa Banca Intesa was created by a merger between Cariplo and Banco Ambrosiano Veneto, in 1998. Banca Commerciale Italiana also joined the group in the following year. Cariplo Sp.A. Cariplo Sp.A. is the oldest part of the banking group. It can…
Key Stats 2024 Revenue: $53.94 billion 2024 Employees: 52,600 Market Cap: $136.66 billion (February 2026) Fortune 500 Rank: 82nd (2025) Founded: July 21, 1994 Capital One Financial Corporation is an American bank holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The company specializes in credit cards, auto loans, banking, and savings accounts. Capital One ranks as the sixth-largest bank in the United States by total assets and the third-largest issuer of Visa and Mastercard credit cards. The company operates through three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. With approximately 750 branches including 30 cafe-style locations and 7,000 ATMs across the…
Key Stats Revenue (FY 2024): $159.51 billion Market Cap: $355 billion (November 2025) Employees: 470,000+ worldwide Stores: 2,340+ locations across North America CEO: Ted Decker (since 2022) The Home Depot ranks as the largest home improvement retailer in the world. The company sells tools, building materials, appliances, and home improvement products through warehouse-style stores across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank founded The Home Depot in 1978 after losing their jobs at Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers. They opened the first two stores in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 22, 1979. The founders built their business…
Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (MHFG) history, company profile (overview) and history video Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (株式会社みずほフィナンシャルグループ), or also known as MHFG, is a Japanese holding company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. HISTORY The company’s history derives from three of Japan’s oldest banks: Dai-Ichi Bank (Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank), Yasuda Bank (Fuji Bank), and the Industrial Bank of Japan. The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Ltd. (株式会社第一勧業銀行), abbreviated as DKB, was founded in 1971 by a consortium of two banks: Dai-Ichi Bank, Japan’s oldest bank, and Nippon Kangyo Bank, a state financial institution that granted loans to industry and agriculture. …
China Vanke Co., Ltd. history, company profile (overview) and history video China Vanke Co., Ltd. (万科企业股份有限公司) is a residential real estate developer headquartered in Shenzhen, China. HISTORY Vanke’s origins date back to 1984 when the Shenzhen Modern Scientific Education Instruments Exhibition & Sales Center (the predecessor of Vanke) was officially registered with Shenzhen Administration for Industry and Commerce. The company was registered as a state-owned company, with Wang Shi as the legal representative. Its main business was the import and sales of office automation equipment and professional film and TV equipment. In 1987, the company established…
$212.92B 2024 Revenue (USD) $96.92B Market Cap (Dec 2025) 900,000+ Employees Worldwide 32nd Fortune Global 500 1974 Year Founded Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., trading internationally as Foxconn, ranks as the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer. Founded in Taiwan in 1974, the company evolved from a small plastics manufacturer into a global technology powerhouse. Foxconn operates over 230 manufacturing campuses across 24 countries. The company serves major technology brands including Apple, Sony, Dell, and Nintendo. Its products range from smartphones and gaming consoles to servers and electric vehicle components. The company’s 3+3 strategy focuses on three emerging industries and…
Brookfield Corporation history, company profile (overview) and history video Brookfield Corporation is a global alternative asset management company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. HISTORY The company was founded in 1899 as the São Paulo Tramway, Light and Power Company by William Mackenzie and Frederick Stark Pearson. At that time, the company was engaged in the construction and management of electricity and transport infrastructure in Brazil, providing electricity and tram services in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In 1904, the Rio de Janeiro Tramway, Light and Power Company was founded. In 1912, the Brazilian Traction, Light and Power Company…
China Minsheng Banking Corporation Limited (China Minsheng Bank) profile and corporate video China Minsheng Banking Corporation Limited (中国民生银行股份有限公司, or also known as ”China Minsheng Bank” or “CMBC”, is a Chinese bank headquartered in Beijing, China. It was formally established on January 12, 1996, by Jing Shuping, a Chinese lawyer and businessman. China Minsheng Bank is the first national joint-stock commercial bank in China founded and owned mainly by non-state-owned enterprises. The company operates through the following segments: Personal Banking, Corporate Banking, Interbank Finance, and Private Banking. Personal Banking The Personal Banking segment involves savings, loans, cards,…
Key Stats Founded: 30 May 1848, in Hatton Garden, London 2024 Revenue: $11.9 billion (11.1% year-over-year growth) 2024 Employees: Approximately 15,400 Market Cap: Approximately $41 billion (February 2026) Stock Exchanges: London Stock Exchange (PRU), Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2378) Prudential Plc is a British multinational insurance and asset management company with headquarters in London and Hong Kong. The company provides life and health insurance products across 24 markets in Asia and Africa through its subsidiaries. Prudential operates through two primary business segments: life and health insurance, which generates about 97% of revenues, and asset management through Eastspring Investments. The company…