Guinness Mahon
Encyclopedia
Guinness Mahon was an Irish merchant bank
originally based in Dublin but more recently with major operations in London
.
, and John Ross Mahon, an estate agent
. A London office opened in 1873, closed in 1916 during World War I
and then re-opened again in 1923. This became Guinness Mahon Holdings, which merged with Lewis & Peat Ltd in 1974.
The Group ran into difficulties in the late 1980s and demerged into three parts: the Guinness Mahon investment banking business, Fenchurch Insurance and the off-shore investment activities. The offshore investment activities in Australia
and New Zealand
(still known as Guinness Peat Group
) were bought by Brierley Investments Limited (a business controlled by Sir Ron Brierley
) in 1990 and the Guiness Mahon investment banking business was acquired by Bank of Yokohama
in 1991 and then sold on to Investec
in 1998.
Meanwhile Fenchurch Insurance merged with Lowndes Lambert in 1997 to create Lambert Fenchurch, then with Heath Group in 1999 to form Heath Lambert and then with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
in 2011 to form Gallagher Heath.
, Guinness Peat Group
in New Zealand
and Guinness Flight Hambro, which became Investec Guinness Flight.
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
originally based in Dublin but more recently with major operations in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
The firm was founded in Dublin in 1836 by brewer Robert Rundell Guinness, cousin of the brewer Arthur GuinnessArthur Guinness
Arthur Guinness was an Irish brewer and the founder of the Guinness brewery business and family.He was also an entrepreneur, visionary and philanthropist....
, and John Ross Mahon, an estate agent
Estate agent
An estate agent is a person or business that arranges the selling, renting or management of properties, and other buildings, in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An agent that specialises in renting is often called a letting or management agent...
. A London office opened in 1873, closed in 1916 during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and then re-opened again in 1923. This became Guinness Mahon Holdings, which merged with Lewis & Peat Ltd in 1974.
The Group ran into difficulties in the late 1980s and demerged into three parts: the Guinness Mahon investment banking business, Fenchurch Insurance and the off-shore investment activities. The offshore investment activities in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
(still known as Guinness Peat Group
Guinness Peat Group
Guinness Peat Group is an investment holding company with interests in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.-History:The company, which had been formed as an investment offshoot of the London-based investment bank Guinness Mahon in the 1980s, was acquired by Brierley Investments Limited in 1990...
) were bought by Brierley Investments Limited (a business controlled by Sir Ron Brierley
Ron Brierley
Sir Ronald Alfred "Ron" Brierley is a New Zealand investor and corporate raider, chairman and director of a number of companies in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He founded "R. A. Brierley Investments" in March 1961 with no capital...
) in 1990 and the Guiness Mahon investment banking business was acquired by Bank of Yokohama
Bank of Yokohama
Bank of Yokohama is a Japanese bank. It is listed on the Nikkei 225....
in 1991 and then sold on to Investec
Investec Bank
Investec is an international specialist banking and asset management group. It provides a range of financial products and services to a select client base in three principal markets: the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. Investec is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the...
in 1998.
Meanwhile Fenchurch Insurance merged with Lowndes Lambert in 1997 to create Lambert Fenchurch, then with Heath Group in 1999 to form Heath Lambert and then with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. is a US-based global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm headquartered at the Gallagher Centre in Itasca, Illinois...
in 2011 to form Gallagher Heath.
Operations
Its subsidiaries and offshoots included Guinness Peat AviationGuinness Peat Aviation
Guinness Peat Aviation was a Commercial Aircraft Sales and Leasing company set up in 1975 by Aer Lingus, the Guinness Peat Group and Tony Ryan, then an Aer Lingus executive.-History:...
, Guinness Peat Group
Guinness Peat Group
Guinness Peat Group is an investment holding company with interests in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.-History:The company, which had been formed as an investment offshoot of the London-based investment bank Guinness Mahon in the 1980s, was acquired by Brierley Investments Limited in 1990...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Guinness Flight Hambro, which became Investec Guinness Flight.