• Mission & strategy
• Sectors
• Our Business
• Management
• History
  • Starting out
  • Globalization
  • IPO
  • Acquisition of NOP World
• Contact

IPO

Rapid growth of this order needed organizational changes. In 1984, the market research operation had already been demerged from the organization. However, at the time, the company could not yet become a joint stock company as intended, since it was quicker to form a limited company.

On 23 January 1990 , GfK finally became a joint stock company and although at the time, no stock exchange launch had been directly planned, perhaps it already formed part of the vision for the future. This step was ultimately resolved by the Supervisory Board in 1995.

In 1998, when the sixth generation after the founder Wilhelm Vershofen, Klaus L. Wübbenhorst, took on the role of Management Board spokesman and then CEO, the final stages of preparation for a stock exchange launch had been reached. On September 23, 1999 , 9:09 a.m. , GfK shares were listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange for the first time at a price of EUR 20.00 per share – EUR 1.50 more than the subscription price. And so, in the words of the CEO, a "new era” had begun for GfK. The stock exchange launch came in time for the millennium and was not, in itself, the purpose, but the necessary means to achieve the ambitious aims of the company. Since then, much has happened.

Next ...