Office address: 100 Vanguard Blvd Valley Forge, PA 19482
Website: www.vanguard.com
Year established: 1975
Company type: investment advisor firm
Employees: 20,000+
Expertise: mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, asset management, sub-advisory services, finance, investment management, technology, IT, healthcare, employee wellness, sustainability, ESG, human resources, talent management
Parent company: N/A
Key people: Salim Ramji (CEO), Greg Davis (president), Matthew Benchener (MD), Joseph Brennan (CRO), Lauren Valente (CHRO), Michael Rollings (CFO), Nitin Tandon (CIO)
Financing status: N/A
The Vanguard Group, based in Pennsylvania, offers investments, advice, and retirement services to over 50 million investors. Owned by its member funds and their shareholders, Vanguard serves individual investors, institutions, and financial professionals worldwide. With over 20,000 employees and $9.3 trillion in assets as of May 2024, the company operates globally, providing a broad range of financial services.
The Vanguard Group was founded in 1975 by John C. Bogle to create an investor-owned mutual fund company focused on long-term value. Their origins go back to the Wellington Fund, launched in 1929 by Wellington Management, which later became part of Vanguard. In 1976, Vanguard introduced the first index mutual fund, revolutionizing low-cost investing.
The company expanded in the 1990s, opening offices in Arizona and North Carolina, and its first international office in Australia in 1996. In 2001, the firm launched ETFs, offering affordable access to index funds, and in 2015 introduced Personal Advisor Services for tailored advice. The Vanguard Group joined the World Economic Forum's Global Parity Alliance to advance DEI in 2022 and appointed their first outsider CEO in 2024. (Vanguard was previously known for promoting from within its ranks.)
Vanguard offers a wide range of investment products and services designed to meet the diverse needs of its clients. Key offerings include:
The Vanguard Group’s mission is to provide low-cost, client-focused products that support long-term financial goals. From advice to investments, the company emphasizes clear insights and a commitment to helping clients succeed.
The Vanguard Group fosters a culture of participation, inclusion, and innovation, where diverse teams thrive and new ideas are encouraged. The company offers opportunities for professional development and recognizes individual contributions.
Vanguard supports long-term employee success with a comprehensive rewards package that includes these benefits:
The company’s sustainability efforts include reducing its carbon footprint and managing climate-related risks through a comprehensive strategy. It aims to minimize its environmental impact by reducing emissions, electricity and water usage, and diverting waste from landfills by 2025. The Vanguard Group also engages its employees in these efforts and pursues sustainable business practices:
The Vanguard Group is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where employees can thrive and contribute. The company has expanded its DEI efforts with stronger processes and accountability. Vanguard also promotes equity within its community, supply chain, and client services through:
Vanguard focuses on supporting the communities where its employees and clients live, prioritizing early childhood development and financial well-being. The company works with nonprofit and corporate leaders to address key community needs. Their philanthropic efforts reflect its long-term mission to create lasting, positive impacts.
Salim Ramji was appointed CEO of Vanguard in 2024. He has held leadership roles throughout his 25 years of experience, including:
Ramji holds a BA in economics and politics from the University of Toronto and an MA in law from the University of Cambridge.
These are some of the key leaders overseeing The Vanguard Group divisions and their specific responsibilities:
The Vanguard Group is expanding its fixed-income offerings by introducing two new actively managed municipal bond ETFs, focusing on tax-exempt investments. These funds aim to offer low-cost, diversified exposure to high-quality municipal bonds, appealing to investors seeking stability and long-term growth. This move strengthens Vanguard's position in the fixed-income ETF market, complementing its existing lineup of municipal bond products.
Vanguard Charitable recently achieved a major milestone in its support for nonprofit organizations since its founding in 1997. This achievement highlights the growing role of donor-advised funds, which help donors support charitable causes over time. By facilitating philanthropy, The Vanguard Group continues to advance its mission of maximizing donors' impact and expanding its influence in the charitable sector.
Latest state to slash charges on college savings plans; 'downward trajectory'
Financial advisers are keeping a close eye on The Vanguard Group Inc.'s new Standard & Poor's 500 ETF to see how the exchange-traded fund performs and whether it can compete with State Street Global Advisors Inc.'s SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
With the launch of WealthOne, National Planning Holdings Inc.'s network of four broker-dealers has a major new set of tools at its disposal.
Financial advisers' loyalty to American Funds appears to be waning, as the firm saw the largest outflows of any fund company for the first half of this year.
BlackRock Inc.'s iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index Fund Ticker:(EEM) had net inflows of $1.7 billion in June, compared with $787.7 million for Vanguard's Emerging Markets ETF Ticker:(VWO).
Once bidding starts for N.Y. plan, investor fees will likely fall; 'egregiously overpriced'
In a bid to grab a bigger slice of the highly competitive retirement plan market, John Hancock last week became the first provider to offer 401(k) participants a choice between target date funds that are constructed to take investors “to retirement” or “through retirement.”
Discount broker ups the ante after offering commission-free trades online seven months ago
Public response to the Securities and Exchange Commission's proposal to enhance target date fund disclosure has been tepid — even as the public-comment deadline looms three days away.
Mutual fund companies may be largely unaffected by the financial services reform legislation, but they are girding for other types of regulation.
As regulators and stock exchanges try to figure out what caused the 1,000-point stock market drop May 6, exchange-traded-fund providers are doing damage control.
The Vanguard Group Inc. is alleged to have violated federal law when it refused to hire an black applicant because of her race, according to a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
As one 401(k) provider rolls out enhanced fee disclosures for plans, rivals are keeping a close watch on upcoming regulations that will likely require them to follow suit.
