Our history
Experian has a long and storied history, with roots dating back to 1826.
Innovation runs through our heritage
Experian dates back to 1826, when a group of London merchants began exchanging information on customers who failed to settle their debts. Since then, we’ve gone through many changes to become the innovative, technology-driven organisation you know today.
1826
A group of London merchants start swapping information on customers who fail to settle their debts. One such association, the Manchester Guardian Society, formed in 1826, later became an integral part of Experian.
1897
Jim Chilton joins his uncle’s law firm in Dallas, Texas. He begins to list both good and bad credit risks and persuades merchants to pool credit information. Later the Chilton business became part of Experian.
1900
Abraham Rose founds Universal Stores in Manchester, in the UK. Later known as Great Universal Stores (GUS), it becomes one of the UK’s largest home mail order companies and its vast stores of data gave birth to Experian’s UK operations.
1957
Simon Ramo and Dean Wooldridge, two of the world’s most famous aerospace engineers, appear on the cover of TIME magazine. In 1961, Simon Ramo predicts the ‘cashless society’. They later form TRW, a partnership with Thompson Products.
1968
A consortium of Brazilian banks forms Serasa. Like its American and British counterparts, Serasa undergoes waves of technical advancement, installing its first computer in 1981 and linking its database to the banks by 1989.
1985
A strategy is started to use analytical skills to develop new targeted marketing products. New products are launched just as the boom in direct marketing gets under way.
1986
TRW dips its toe into the direct-to-consumer market, with a service called Credentials. However, the concept is ahead of its time and it would require the development of the internet to establish the consumer as a customer.
1996
Experian is formed when the UK and US businesses are combined under the ownership of GUS.
2006
On 10 October 2006, Experian demerges from GUS to become an independent company listed on the London Stock Exchange, with an initial share price of £5.60. Under Don Robert’s leadership, Experian aims to develop its business worldwide.
2007
Experian takes a controlling interest in Serasa, the world’s fourth largest credit bureau and the biggest in Brazil. This is the most significant step since the British and American businesses were combined in 1996.
2012
Heart of Experian launches, to inspire the commitment and involvement of every employee. Don Robert states that, “At Experian, either everyone is a rock star or no one is a rock star. We get things done in partnership.”
2014
A new era dawns for Experian as a new team takes over with the retirement of Sir John Peace, one of Experian’s founders. The pioneering spirit remains as strong as ever as Experian pushes forward into promising new high growth markets.
2016
Our brand reflects who we are, what we do and what we believe in. It describes what we do and our purpose — powering opportunities and helping to create a better tomorrow — for people, businesses and society.
2019
March 2019 marked a notable milestone in our company’s history and for consumers. We officially launched Experian Boost, a free tool that, for the first time, allows millions of consumers to add positive payment history directly into their credit file for an opportunity to instantly increase their credit score.
2021
With our expansion into Verification and Employer Services, and the release of a new suite of real-time income and employment verification products, we are delivering secure, scalable and transparent services to employers. Creating meaningful change and providing our clients with competitive options to achieve their verification needs, while helping improve access to credit for consumers.
2023
Innovation continues apace at Experian with the unveiling of Ascend Ops, an industry-first solution that empowers lenders to deploy new features and models in days or weeks instead of months. It is a game changer in operational efficiency as it enables end-to-end marketing, acquisitions, fraud prevention, account management and more, all from one integrated platform.
Our purpose
Find out how we work towards our purpose — to create a better tomorrow for consumers, for businesses, for our people and for our communities.
Our strategy and what we do
We transform data into information to help people to improve their financial lives. Our strategy is based on five high-impact focus areas.
Where we operate
Our talented and diverse workforce serves customers worldwide from 32 countries.
Board and Group Operating Committee
Meet the team leading our journey towards creating a better tomorrow for all.
How we create value for stakeholders
By understanding the needs of our stakeholders, we’re able to effectively engage with them.
Awards
Our journey to become a sustainable business has been recognised by external organisations.
Responsibility
We use our capabilities and data as a force for good for our consumers, clients and communities.