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Company History

Historical highlights from across Thomson Reuters

2012

  • Jim Smith is appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Reuters.
  • Thomson Reuters is named to Ethisphere’s 2012 “World’s Most Ethical Companies List” and as one of Fortune Magazine’s Most Admired Companies, both for the fourth consecutive years.  
  • The Human Rights Campaign awarded Thomson Reuters the top rating of 100 percent on its Corporate Equality Index for 2012.
  • Thomson Reuters issues its first Corporate Responsibility Annual Report and launches the ‘Sustainability’ website, designed to help support customers and engaged citizens in their efforts to find a more sustainable pathway for their businesses and communities.
  • Thomson Reuters completes the sale of its healthcare business to private equity firm Veritas Capital.
  • Thomson Reuters increases its focus on global growth markets and completes 29 acquisitions, a large number in Asia and the Middle East.

2011

  • Thomson Reuters launches its new corporate branding campaign, The Knowledge Effect.
  • The American Association of Law Librarians names WestlawNext New Product of the Year.
  • The Thomson Reuters Foundation launches TrustLaw Women, an international hub of news, information, resources and discussion on women’s legal rights.
  • Thomson Reuters launches Accelus, a revolutionary suite of governance, risk and compliance solutions.
  • Thomson Reuters launches Cortellis, the next generation solution for the life sciences industry that transforms the way pharma and biotech professionals access and use data across the entire drug research and development life cycle.
  • Thomson Reuters completes 39 acquisitions, including Brazilian tax company Masterstaf, solidifying our commitment to expanding our products and services in Latin America.  

2010

  • The Thomson Reuters Foundation launches TrustLaw, a global service offering free legal assistance and anti-corruption news.
  • Thomson Reuters launches the WestlawNext legal research system which incorporates decades worth of search and editorial intelligence with the latest technological innovations.
  • Thomson Reuters launches two new products serving the financial market, Eikon, a destination for global information, technologies and market access and Elektron, an open, interactive high-speed trading and data infrastructure.
  • Thomson Reuters launches the ONESOURCE global tax workstation, a true "one-stop" workflow solution for multinational corporations and large accounting firms.
  • Thomson Reuters acquires Complinet and announces the creation of the Governance, Risk and Compliance business, bringing together a myriad of product solutions serving the regulatory market.

2009

  • Thomson Reuters completes the unification of its dual listed company structure. The company’s common shares are now listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol: TRI).
  • Thomson Reuters adopts International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
  • Thomson Reuters announces plans to unify its dual listed company structure and no longer be listed on the London Stock Exchange or Nasdaq.

2008

  • Thomson Reuters launches a new federal government initiative that will work across the company, developing information solutions and services tailored to the unique needs of U.S. government customers.
  • The Thomson Corporation and Reuters Group PLC combine to form Thomson Reuters.

2007

  • The Thomson Corporation and Reuters Group PLC announce that they are in discussions for the combination of their two businesses.
  • Thomson completes sale of higher education, careers and library reference assets of Thomson Learning.

2006

  • Kenneth R. Thomson, former chairman of the Board of The Thomson Corporation, dies at the age of 82.
  • Thomson Healthcare acquires Solucient, a leading healthcare information provider of data and advanced analytics that hospitals and health systems use to improve performance and lower costs.
  • Thomson Scientific acquires Scholar One, web-based workflow solution for authoring, evaluating and publishing research to more than two million users.
  • Thomson Financial acquires Quantitative Analytics, Inc., a leading provider of database integration and analysis solutions to the financial services industry.
  • Thomson Healthcare acquires MercuryMD, Inc., the leading provider of mobile information systems serving the healthcare market.
  • Reuters launches the first news bureau in the virtual world of Second Life.
  • Reuters launches two products that allow its news output to be “read” by machines for the purposes of automated trading for the first time.

2005

  • Thomson Financial partnered with Merrill Lynch to complete the rollout of more than 23,000 workstations across more than 550 Merrill Lynch offices.
  • Thomson acquires Global Securities Information, Inc., a leading provider of online securities and securities-related information and research services.
  • Thomson acquires Tax Partners®, LLC, the nation's largest sales and use tax compliance service firm enabling Thomson to offer end-to-end sales and use tax solutions.
  • Thomson introduces the launch of Thomson Pharma bringing an indispensable information solution to the workflow of the drug discovery and development process.
  • Reuters transfers its London headquarters from Fleet Street to Canary Wharf. All London employees, including editorial, are brought into one building.
  • Reuters acquires Action Images, a specialist sports photography agency, a deal designed to continue the expansion of Reuters global picture business
  • Reuters takes major steps into next generation trading with the launch of:

    • Partnership with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), linking sell-side traders in the interbank FX market to CME eFX market
    • Reuters Trading for Fixed Income
    • Reuters Trading for Foreign Exchange

2004

  • Thomson acquires Information Holdings Inc., a provider of intellectual property and regulatory information for the scientific, legal, and corporate markets to further advance its capability to develop pharmaceutical and intellectual property solutions.
  • Thomson acquires TradeWeb, a fast-growing and leading online global trading platform for fixed-income securities.
  • Thomson sells Thomson Media group, comprised of leading print-based information products, to Investcorp.
  • Thomson acquires CCBN, a provider of web-based solutions for the investment community, to further expand its offerings for the corporate communications market.
  • Thomson sells DBM (Drake Beam Morin), which was acquired along with other Harcourt assets in 2001, to Compass Partners International Limited.

2003

  • Thomson sells print-based healthcare magazines.
  • Thomson acquires Elite Information Group, a leading provider of integrated practice and financial management applications for legal and professional services markets
  • Thomson sells its 20% interest in Bell Globemedia Inc. for $279 million to The Woodbridge
  • Company Limited. The sale of Bell Globemedia, including the Corporation's interest in The Globe and Mail, is the culmination of the Thomson strategy to exit the newspaper business undertaken in February 2000.
  • Reuters launches Reuters Knowledge opening up a new market on the buy-side of the financial services industry.

2002

  • Thomson announces $300 million+ five-year deal with Merrill Lynch to develop and implement a new financial workstation to support Merrill Lynch Financial Advisors -- most significant information solutions deal of its kind in the financial services industry.
  • Thomson acquires Current Drugs a global leader in the delivery of information solutions to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries
  • Thomson common share offering raises US$1 billion.
  • Thomson begins trading on New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TOC.
  • David K.R. Thomson appointed Chairman of The Thomson Corporation.
  • Thomson acquires Gardiner-Caldwell, a leading global medical education and communication business.
  • Reuters launches Reuters Messaging, a reliable, high-security, high-speed instant messaging service developed specifically for the global financial services industry. Developed by Reuters and Microsoft and more than 30 financial institutions, the service allows financial professionals to communicate instantly with their colleagues and customers.

2001

  • Thomson acquires NewsEdge Corporation, a global provider of real-time news and information.
  • Thomson acquires select higher education and corporate training businesses of Harcourt General.
  • Thomson acquires FindLaw, the leader in free online legal information and services.
  • The Globe and Mail becomes part of Bell Globemedia, a Canadian multimedia company, in which The Thomson Corporation holds a 20% ownership position.

2000

  • Thomson sells community newspaper assets in North America for approximately 2.5 billion Thomson acquires La Ley, a leading legal publisher in Argentina.
  • Thomson acquires Primark, a leading provider of financial and economic information products and solutions to customers worldwide.
  • Thomson acquires Carson Group, a financial information services firm focused on corporate strategic intelligence and investor relations solutions.
  • Thomson acquires IOB, one of Brazil's leading regulatory publishers. Thomson acquires online business of Dialog, a leading worldwide provider of online-based information services.
  • Reuters announces major initiatives to exploit the Internet and open new markets, reinforced by Joint Ventures in communications, wireless delivery and investment research.

1999

  • Thomson acquires Editorial Aranzadi S.A., Spain's premier legal publisher.
  • Reuters completes its euro currency conversion programme, involving 4 billion changes affecting a quarter of a million financial instruments. Some 700 engineers, developers, data specialists and customer service staff worked 300 man-years on the project and cost £10 million.
  • Reuters and Dow Jones announce agreement to combine their interactive business services for the corporate and professional markets in a joint venture called Factiva.

1998

  • Thomson nets US$2 billion from sale of Thomson Travel.
  • Reuters acquires Lipper Analytical Services, a leading fund performance measurement company, and Liberty, a company specialising in order routing and management, in moves opening the way for Reuters to develop these two areas of business.

1997

  • Richard J. Harrington named President and Chief Executive Officer.

1996

  • Thomson acquires West Publishing, a leading US provider of legal information.
  • Reuters launches the 3000 series, a package of Securities, Treasury and Money products giving customers access to a historical information as well as real-time news and data.

1995

  • Thomson divests interests in UK newspapers.
  • Thomson acquires Peterson's, a leading provider of information about U.S. colleges and universities.
  • Reuters Greenhouse Fund is set up to invest in hi-tech start-ups giving Reuters access to new technologies.

1994

  • Thomson acquires Information Access Company, a US provider of broad-based reference and database services.
  • Thomson acquires The Medstat Group, a US provider of healthcare information databases and decision support software.
  • Reuters Financial Television Service for the financial markets is launched, providing traders live coverage of market moving events on their trading screens.

1992

  • Thomson acquires MICROMEDEX, a leading information provider in the fields of healthcare, toxicology, and environmental health.
  • Thomson acquires Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), a leading provider of information for researchers.
  • Reuters launches Dealing 2000, acting as a broker for the first international computerised matching service for foreign exchange rates.

1989

  • Thomson Newspapers merges with International Thomson to form The Thomson Corporation.
  • Thomson acquires Lawyers Co-operative Publishing Company, a US legal publisher, and its subsidiary, Research Institute of America, an information provider for accountants, tax, and human resource professionals.
  • Thomson disposes of interests in North Sea Oil in the UK.
  • Reuters first with the news of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Reuters had also been first with the news of it being built in 1961. Reuters maintained an office in East Berlin for 30 years.

1988

  • ILX Systems, a provider of market data systems for financial professional, founded by E.F. Hutton & Co. executives, and funded by the International Thomson Organisation.

1987

  • Thomson acquires legal publishing businesses in the UK (Sweet & Maxwell), Canada (Carswell) and Australia (The Law Book Company).
  • Reuters launches Equities 2000 quotations service on Integrated Data Network (IDN)–a global “highway for data”.

1986

  • Thomson acquires Compu-Mark, a worldwide market leader in trademark research.
  • Thomson acquires South-Western Publishing, a leading provider of textbooks and instructional materials.
  • Reuters completes acquisition of Instinet, today the world's largest electronic agency brokerage firm.

1985

  • Thomson acquires Gale, a leading provider of information for libraries, schools, and businesses.
  • Thomson acquires AutEx, a business that helps traders identify, access and track liquidity in global securities markets.
  • Reuters launches an international news picture service.

1984

  • Reuters becomes publicly-quoted company on the London Stock Exchange and NASDAQ as Reuters Holdings PLC.
  • Reuters Founders Share Company Limited was formed to hold a “Founders Share” in Reuters and protect the Reuters Trust Principles. The directors are trustees of the Principles who exercise their powers to uphold them.

1981

  • Thomson sells the The Times of London to News International, Ltd. (UK).
  • Thomson acquires Litton (renamed Medical Economics), a publisher of high quality healthcare information.
  • Reuters Monitor Dealing Service goes live - foreign currency dealers are able to conclude trades over video terminals. Again, a world first.

1980

  • Thomson Newspapers' total daily circulation in Canada passes the one million mark.
  • Thomson acquires Warren, Gorham & Lamont, a major information source for finance professionals.
  • Technical Data Corp, the predecessor to Thomson Financial, founded by former portfolio managers from Fidelity Investments.

1978

  • Major expansion in specialized information and publishing launched in the US with the acquisition of Wadsworth, a college textbook and professional book publisher.
  • Financial restructuring of UK activities and formation of International Thomson Organisation Limited, with headquarters in Toronto and two main operating subsidiaries in the UK and US.

1977

  • Final disposal of interest in Scottish Television.
  • Thomson Newspapers' total daily circulation in the US passed the 1 million mark.

1976

  • Roy Thomson passes away and is succeeded as Chairman by his son, Kenneth Thomson, the second Lord Thomson of Fleet.

1974

  • Claymore oil field discovery.

1973

  • Piper oil field discovery.
  • Reuter Monitor Money Rates Service launched, an electronic marketplace for Foreign Exchange, a major world innovation. Major western industrialised countries abandoned fixed exchange rates.

1971

  • Thomson joins consortium to explore for oil and gas in the North Sea (UK).
  • In New York, Reuters starts its first video editing system. Journalists use VDUs instead of typewriters to write and transmit news.

1970

  • Videomaster introduced - screen display of stock and commodity prices.

1967

  • The Times of London acquired and, with The Sunday Times, formed Times Newspapers.

1965

  • Creation of Thomson Travel in the UK by acquiring tour operating companies and Britannia Airways.
  • Formation of Thomson Newspaper, Ltd as a public company in Canada.

1964

  • Roy Thomson given a hereditary barony and became Lord Thomson of Fleet.
  • Reuters helps to lead the way in transmitting market quotations by computer. In that year, Reuters made a loss of £53,000 on a turnover of £3.5 million.

1961

  • Thomson Publication (UK) formed to launch and acquire business and consumer magazines, and book publishing companies.

1959

  • Acquisition of the Kemsley Group, a UK publicly listed company, comprising national and regional newspapers including The Sunday Times , and merged them with Scottish Television and The Scotsman newspaper.

1957

  • Successful bid for commercial television franchise for Central Scotland, named Scottish Television.

1956

  • Reuters first with the news of Khrushchev denouncing Stalin.

1954

  • Roy Thomson moves to Scotland to begin a new phase of his career in the UK, by which time he owned the largest number of newspapers of any group in Canada.

1953

  • Roy Thomson acquired his first newspaper in the UK, The Scotsman.

1941

  • Reuters restructures itself so that it is owned by the British National and Provincial Press, together with (in 1947) the Press Associations of Australia and New Zealand. The Reuters Trust Principles were put in place to safeguard its independence. The principles govern how the company conducts business, committing Reuters to independence, integrity and freedom from bias in the gathering and dissemination of news and information.

1939

  • Just prior to the second World War, Reuters moves to 85 Fleet Street.

1934

  • Roy Thomson acquired his first newspaper in Canada, The Timmins Press , Ontario.

1926

  • Reuters reconstructed as a private company - Reuters Ltd.

1923

  • Reuters develops the use of radio to transmit news internationally and starts a service of price quotations and exchange rates sent in Morse Code by long-wave radio to Europe. In the next few years, this grows into Reuters chief commercial service in Europe and, later, using more powerful radio transmitters, in the rest of the world.

1918

  • In several parts of the world, Reuters is ahead of the British Government in reporting the Armistice which ended the First World War.

1894

  • Roy Thomson, grandfather of the present chairman, born on July 6.

1878

  • Paul Julius Reuter retires at 61 due to “failing health.” He died in 1899 at his home in Nice, France.

1872

  • West Publishing was founded by John B. West and his brother Horatio in 1872 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1870

  • Continued expansion in to the Far East and America. Signs an agreement with Havas and Wolff to establish a worldwide news ring.

1865

  • After 12 days crossing the Atlantic, a Reuters report of the assassination of President Lincoln reaches London first, throwing European financial markets into turmoil. Reuter intercepted the mail boat off Ireland and telegraphed the news to London.
  • Reuters Telegram Company goes public and is registered as a limited company.

1858

  • Offices opened all over Europe, following Paul Julius' maxim, "follow the cable".

1851

  • Paul Julius Reuter, a German born immigrant, arrives in London from Aachen where he has been running a news and stock price information service using a combination of technology including telegraph cables and a fleet of carrier pigeons that grows to exceed 200. This helps Reuter establish an enviable reputation for speed, accuracy, integrity and impartiality. Reuter opens an office with the help of an 11 year-old office boy at 1 Royal Exchange Building in London's financial centre and located close to the main telegraph offices. He transmits stock market quotations and news between London and Paris over the new Dover-Calais submarine telegraph cable, using his “telegraph expertise ”.

1799

  • Sweet & Maxwell legal publishing founded in London.

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