Finance
Schroders: End of an Era for Historic British Finance Firm
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 12, 2026
3 min readLast updated: February 12, 2026
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Nuveen acquires Schroders for £9.9 billion, ending its independence. Founded in 1804, Schroders managed over £800 billion in assets.
Schroders' Independence Ends as Nuveen Acquires Historic Firm
The End of an Era for Schroders
Feb 12 - British money manager Schroders is being taken over by U.S. asset manager Nuveen for 9.9 billion pounds ($13.5 billion), ending the independence of one of London's old finance houses that traces its roots back to the early 1800s.
Timeline of Schroders' History
Here is a timeline of the 222-year old Schroders, from its inception through to managing more than 800 billion pounds in assets now:
Details of the Acquisition
Date Event
Impact on the Financial Sector
1804 Schroders was founded by Johann Heinrich
Schröders, who went into a partnership in London
with his elder brother. The company began as a
merchant bank in 1804.
1818 After his elder brother's retirement, Johann
Heinrich Schröder set up his own firm, J. Henry
Schröder & Co. in 1818.
1870 Issues bond to support Japan's first railway
1923 Schroders makes its first move into the United
States.
1924 Forms its first investment trust and starts
managing investments for clients.
1959 Lists on the London Stock Exchange, with the
shares 18 times oversubscribed.
1968 The Schroder Trust Company’s activities expands
into institutional investment management with
the purchase of Naess & Thomas. Schroder, Naess
& Thomas was later renamed Schroder Capital
Management.
1979 Enters the U.S. pension fund market.
1994 Fully acquires Wertheim & Co., a New York
investment bank and asset manager and renamed
the firm as Schroder & Co. Inc. in 1997.
2000 As a move to fully concentrate on asset
management, the group sells its investment
banking division to Salomon Smith Barney, part
of Citigroup.
2012 To beef up its presence in the U.S., Schroders
acquires STW Fixed Income Management, getting
hold of more than $11 billion worth assets
managed by the firm.
2019 Bruno Schroder, a non-executive director and the
great-great grandson of the company's co-founder
John Henry Schroder, dies.
2024 Current CEO Richard Oldfield appointed.
March Outlines plans to cut 150 million
2025 pounds from its costs over the next three years,
part of a revamp to boost flagging performance.
December Sources told Reuters Schroders was exploring
2025 options for its financial planning business
Benchmark Capital, including a potential sale.
February U.S. asset manager Nuveen set to take over
2026 Schroders for 9.9 billion pounds ($13.50
billion). Founding family to sell out.
(Reporting by Sri Hari N S in Bengaluru; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Bernadette Baum)
Key Takeaways
- •Nuveen acquires Schroders for £9.9 billion.
- •Schroders' history dates back to the early 1800s.
- •The acquisition ends Schroders' independence.
- •Schroders managed over £800 billion in assets.
- •Founding family to sell out with the acquisition.
Frequently Asked Questions about Schroders: End of an era for historic British finance firm
1What is asset management?
Asset management refers to the systematic process of developing, operating, maintaining, and selling assets in a cost-effective manner. It involves managing investments on behalf of clients to achieve specific financial goals.
2What is the London Stock Exchange?
The London Stock Exchange is one of the world's oldest stock exchanges, located in London. It facilitates the buying and selling of shares, bonds, and other securities, providing a platform for companies to raise capital.
3What is corporate governance?
Corporate governance is the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. It encompasses the mechanisms through which companies, and their stakeholders, interact.
