The ten largest companies in the world

The whole world is based on business and work in all branches of our economy. A few of these businesses have grown this large because of mergers and they are now in the top ten of largest companies in the world. A list of these businesses can be found below, including their foundation dates.  

1.            Citigroup

Citigroup is the largest bank in America and was founded in 1998 when Citicorp and Travelers Group merged. During the crisis, the bank suffered substancial losses and could only secure its existence with government support. The bank's businesses cover consumer finance as well as corporate banking. Citigroup is the largest enterprise in the world.

2.            General Electric

General Electric is a technology, electronics and services business that operates worldwide and is the second largest business in the world. It was formed when The Edison General Electroic Company and the Thomson-Houston Electric Company merged in 1892. Because of several acquisitions and because the company is active in many different markets, it has grown to its current size.

3.            Bank of America

De Bank of America is the largest commercial bank in the United States. It was founded in 1904 when Amadeo Giannini started the Bank of Italy in San Francisco. It is currently the third largest company in the world. Bank of America has suffered from the financial crisis: it relied on government support as well.

4.            American International Group

The American International Group (AIG) is an American insurance company and was founded in 1919 in Shanghai, China. The founder, Cornelius Vander Starr, was the first Western man to sell insurances in China. He kept doing this until Mao Zeo came to power and communism was introduced. Starr then moved his headquarters to New York. AIG was one of the companies that needed government support during the crisis.

5.            HSBC Group

HSBC Group is one of the largest banks in the world and the largest bank in Europe. The name of the bank is an abbreviation for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and was founded in 1865 by Scotsman Thomas Sutherland to finance British trade in the East.

6.            Exxon Mobil Corporation

Exxon Mobil is an oil producer and was formed on November 30, 1999 after a merger between Exxon and Mobil, companies that were both founded when Standard Oil went out of business. Exxon Mobil Corporation has 38 oil refineries in 21 countries and has a capacity of 6.3 million barrels of oil per day.

7.            Royal Dutch Shell

Royal Dutch Shell is originally a Dutch-British multinational founded in 1830. It used to trade Asian shells. In 2009, the company employed 102,000 people and operates in over 140 countries. The company has 5 core businesses: exploration and production, gas and power, refining and marketing, chemicals, and trading and shipping.

8.            BP

BP (British Petroleum) is a British energy concern that operates worldwide. It was founded in 1909 under the name Anglo-Persian Oil Company. The company's core business is oil.

9.            JP Morgan Chase

JP Morgan Chase is one of the oldest financial service providers in the world. It was founded in 1799. It is one of the largest companies in the world and has many offices in varous cities outside of the United States.

10.          UBS AG

UBS AG is a Swiss bank with headquarters in Zurich and Basel. It was founded in 1998 after a merger between the Union Bank of Switzerland and the Swiss Bank Corporation.

Sources: www.todio.nl