Legg Mason is an American investment management firm with a focus on asset management and serves customers worldwide. Legg Mason offers products in equities and fixed income, as well as domestic and international liquidity management and alternative investments. Created in 1970 through the acquisition of Mason & Co. by Legg & Co. to form Legg Mason & Co., Inc., Legg Mason is now among the largest asset managers in the world. Legg Mason serves individual and institutional investors on six continents, and has some $752.3 billion in aggregated assets under management as of April 30, 2018. Legg Mason operates using a multi-manager business model, with each of the company’s subsidiaries operating independently in its own segment of the asset management industry. It provides global distribution and fosters growth through product development, investing in its existing affiliates, and making new acquisitions.
History
Legg Mason can trace its earliest roots to George Mackubin & Co., which got its start selling stocks out of a back office in the Baltimore Stock Exchange in 1899. Over time this evolved into Legg & Company, which in 1970 acquired the Newport News, Virginia-based Mason & Company that Raymond A. Mason had founded by 1962. The combined firms' headquarters are in Baltimore.
Timeline
1899: George Mackubin & Co., predecessor to Legg & Co., is founded in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1970, it had offices in San Francisco, New York, as well as several in Maryland, with over 400 employees. It was best known for its expertise in the life and casualty insurance industry.
1962: Brokerage firm Mason & Co. is founded by Raymond A. “Chip” Mason in Newport News, Virginia
1967: Mason & Co., with over 80 employees in 4 offices, becomes one of three largest of 15 Virginia-based brokerage firms
1970: Mason & Co. is acquired by Legg & Co to form Legg Mason & Co., Inc, with headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland
1975: Raymond A. Mason becomes chairman and CEO of Legg Mason & Co., Inc, adding to his existing role as president
1982: Legg Mason Fund Adviser, Inc. is established to manage the company’s flagship fund, Legg Mason Value Trust
2005: Legg Mason completes a transaction with Citigroup, transferring its Private Client and Capital Markets business in exchange for Citigroup’s asset management business and turning Legg Mason into a pure asset management firm.
2008: Mark R. Fetting becomes CEO of the company, succeeding Raymond A. "Chip" Mason
2013: Joseph A. Sullivan becomes CEO of the company
Legg Mason acts through its subsidiaries to provide investment management and related services to its clients, which include institutions as well as individuals. Under the company's multi-manager model, each subsidiary operates with investment autonomy, following its own investment philosophy and implementing its own process.
Investment affiliates
Brandywine Global
Year Founded: 1986
Year Acquired: 1997
Location: Headquartered in Philadelphia; offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Singapore, London
Clarion Partners
Year Founded: 1982
Year Acquired: 2016
Location: Headquartered in New York; offices in Baltimore, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
ClearBridge Investments
Year Founded: 2005
Year Acquired: 2005
Location: Headquartered in New York; offices in Baltimore, San Francisco and Wilmington
EnTrust Global
Year Founded: 2016
Year Acquired: 2005
Location: Headquartered in New York; offices in Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Singapore and Washington, D.C.
Location: Headquartered in Pasadena, California; offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Melbourne, São Paulo, Singapore, Dubai and Tokyo
Corporate citizenship
In addition to providing its employees with environment-related volunteering opportunities, Legg Mason also implements several corporate ESG initiatives, such as:
Becoming a signatory member of the Carbon Disclosure Project and participating in its annual survey.
Legg Mason's headquarters in Baltimore was developed to achieve . In 2010, the Legg Mason Tower achieved LEED Certified Gold for the space it occupies in Harbor East.
Headquarters
Legg Mason's headquarters are located in the 100 International Drive building in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior locations formerly were at Redwood Street, Pratt Street, and 100 Light Street.