Financial Times History

The Financial News established by Harry Marks

Feb 18, 1884

The Financial Times launched as "The friend of the Honest Financier and the Respectable Broker"

Sep 26, 1888

The FT is first printed on pink paper

Nov 29, 1893

Berry Bros, owners of The Sunday Times and later The Daily Telegraph, take control of the FT

Oct 2, 1919

Brendan Bracken becomes chairman of Financial News

Apr 5, 1928

30–share index introduced in Financial Times

Aug 29, 1935

Bracken buys FT, merges with Financial News but keeps pink paper and Financial Times name.Hargreaves Parkinson becomes editor.

May 1, 1945

Gordon Newton becomes editor

Nov 26, 1949

20,000th issue celebrated."Industry", "Commerce" and "Public Affairs" introduced to masthead, reflecting increased scope of the newspaper.Arts page introduced

Jul 25, 1953

FT taken over by Pearson

Sep 26, 1957

FT head offices moved to Bracken House in Cannon Street

May 14, 1959

Technical (now Technology) page;

Mar 31, 1960

Executive's World (now Features) pages; Saturday paper's How To Spend It (now Fashion & beauty) page all introduced

Circulation passes 250,000 mark on back of "No FT, No Comment" campaign.FT printing processes move from hot metal to cold set printing

Jan 26, 1986

FT starts printing in Madrid, Stockholm and Los Angeles and re –launches the international edition.FT.com, the Financial Times' website, is launched.Mastering Management, the first of the Mastering Series is launched

Aug 29, 1995

Launch of Creative Business magazineFT starts printing in Dallas, Miami, Kuala Lumpur and SeoulRelaunch of European edition

Apr 18, 2000

FT Launches Global Investing pages in US editionRichard Lambert named Business Journalist of the decadeFT hits 500,000 cpd (March)Andrew Gowers becomes editor

Dec 12, 2001

FT launches FTfm Fund management supplement.FT starts printing digitally in South AfricaFT.com is relaunched – subscription services introduced. Unique monthly users reach 3.2 million and page views exceed 50million (Dec 2002)

Dec 10, 2002

FT starts printing in Dubai and Atlanta.UK edition of FT newspaper is revamped and new weekly magazine, Financial Times Magazine, is introduced with the UK edition of the Saturday FT.Asian edition launched in print and online

Jun 21, 2003

FT takes investment stake in Indian financial daily newspaper, Business Standard. FT is first foreign media company to make a major investment in an Indian newspaper, taking a 13.85% equity stake.FT celebrates twenty fifth anniversary of its European edit

Sep 26, 2004

Lionel Barber is appointed editor. FT.com celebrates its tenth anniversaryRelaunch of FTChinese.com

Aug 22, 2005

John Ridding appointed Chief Executive Officer of Financial Times and FT.comRona Fairhead appointed Chief Executive Officer of FT GroupFT Group acquires Mergermarket

May 26, 2006