SPARX's History
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1985
“I noticed a spark in how you speak.”
These words started it all.When our president, Shuhei Abe, opened an investment company in New York in the 1980s, he wrote a report on an investment idea he had been working on and sent it to ten prominent American investors. The only person to respond was George Soros.
“I noticed a spark in how you speak. I want you to invest $100 million as soon as possible.”
With these words, Soros entrusted Abe with managing $100 million (approximately JPY 25 billion at that time) in Japanese equities and he began to develop his investment philosophy under Soros‘s supervision.
The most important lesson he learned from his experience with Soros was how to fight for his ideas.
While Abe learned many technical aspects of investing from Soros, his approach to investing and his standing behind his investments were most impressive. Soros’s passion, which Abe felt was “a fighting man’s attitude,” led to SPARX’s devotion to investment.
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1989
JulySPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. was established as a registered investment advisory company in Tokyo, Japan.
During his time in New York, Abe observed independent investment management firms such as Fidelity growing in size. He founded SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd., in Tokyo in 1989 with the desire to “create in Japan the most trusted and respected investment firm among the world’s top investors.”
Abe’s experience is the origin of SPARX’s investment style.
The experience of managing investments for George Soros influenced the formation of SPARX’s corporate culture. The ideas that symbolize SPARX’s corporate culture—an entrepreneurial spirit generates new investment strategies from the ground up and a consistent investment philosophy since our founding—defined our investment style from the very beginning.
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1996
DecemberSPARX Overseas Ltd. was established in Bermuda as a subsidiary to manage offshore funds.
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1997
FebruarySPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. acquired its discretionary investment management license.
We spur innovation in investment even during the peak of economic bubbles.
At the peak of the Japanese asset bubble, Japanese stock prices dramatically fell leading to our funds’ performing poorly. In this challenging environment, we launched our Long-Short Strategy that was able to generate a positive return. Incidentally, Japan’s first such strategy was managed by George Soros. We have been managing our Long-Short Strategy for more than twenty years.
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1998
MaySPARX Securities Co., Ltd. was established as a wholly-owned subsidiary and acquired its securities business licenses.
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2000
MarchSPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. acquired its investment trust management license in Japan.
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2001
DecemberWe were the first independent asset management firm to go public in Japan.
SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. was listed on the JASDAQ.
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2005
FebruaryWe are extending our reproducible investment model built in Japan to Asia.
SPARX acquired a significant strategic stake in Cosmo Investment Management Co., Ltd., a Korean based asset management company that invests in the Korean market.
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2006
AprilSPARX Spin-off Preparation Co., Ltd. was established.
JuneSPARX acquired a 100% stake in PMA Capital Management Limited (currently SPARX Asia Capital Management Limited), a Hong Kong based asset management company that invests in the Asian markets.
OctoberSPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. changed its name to SPARX Group Co., Ltd.
SPARX Spin-off Preparation Co., Ltd. succeeded the investment advisory service, discretionary investment management business and investment trust management business from the former SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd.
SPARX Spin-off Preparation Co., Ltd. changed its name to SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd.
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2009
FebruaryWe transferred some shares of Cosmo Investment Management Co., Ltd., to an affiliate of the South Korean Lotte Group to further grow our asset management business in that country.
SeptemberSPARX and Hennessy Advisors, Inc. forged a new U.S. partnership to support the distribution and management of its mutual fund business in the U.S.
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2010
JulySPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. merged with SPARX Securities Co., Ltd. to streamline its business operations.
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2011
JulyThe corporate name of PMA Capital Management Limited was changed to SPARX Asia Capital Management Limited.
NovemberCosmo Investment Management Co., Ltd. awarded Collective investment business license and changed its corporate name to Cosmo Asset Management Co., Ltd.
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2012
MaySPARX Group Co., Ltd and SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. moved their head office to Higashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo.
JulyWe address social issues.
We also create new value for our investments.SPARX Green Energy & Technology Co., Ltd. was established to enter the electricity power supply business and consulting business for renewable energy power generation.
NovemberCosmo Asset Management Co., Ltd. moved its head office to Gukjegeumyung-ro, Youngdeungpro-gu, Seoul.
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2013
NovemberCosmo Asset Management Co., Ltd. awarded Hedge Funds business license.
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2014
AprilSPARX Group Co., Ltd. acquired a 100% stake of Japan Asset Trust Corporation and changed its corporate name to SPARX Asset Trust & Management Co., Ltd.
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2015
FebruaryCosmo Asset Management Co., Ltd changed its corporate name to SPARX Asset Management Korea Co., Ltd.
NovemberWe help accelerate innovation by growing through investments in companies’ and projects’ business development in technologies that will drive future growth.
SPARX established the Mirai Creation Fund to accelerate innovation for society’s future.
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2016
JuneWe moved our HQ to Minato, Tokyo.
SPARX Group Co., Ltd , SPARX Asset Management Co., Ltd. , SPARX Green Energy & Technology Co., Ltd. and SPARX Asset Trust & Management Co., Ltd. moved their head office to Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
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2017
JanuarySPARX Asset Management Korea Co., Ltd. moved its HQ to Jongno, Jongno District in Seoul.
NovemberSPARX established the Renewable Energy Brown Field Fund (a fund investing in operational renewable energy power generating facilities).
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2018
FebruarySPARX becomes a signatory to the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
DecemberSPARX established SPARX AI & Technologies Investment Co., Ltd. to invest in companies and projects related to AI and robot technologies.
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2019
MarchSPARX moved its listing to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
April SPARX invested in and partnered with Sigma-i Co., Ltd. an operator of a quantum computing business.
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2020
AprilBy creating and verifying our investment intelligence and investing in new opportunities such as space, we are inducing changes in existing businesses worldwide.
SPARX established SPARX Innovation for the Future Co., Ltd. to manage assets for investment limited partnerships that aim to support and invest in human resources and technologies related to space development and promote Japanese space companies that are able to compete on the world stage.
NovemberSPARX Asset Management Korea Co., Ltd. moved its HQ to Saemunan Road, Jongno District in Seoul.
DecemberWe intend to maintain Japan’s advanced technology and skills and develop its future manufacturing capabilities.
SPARX established the Japan Monozukuri Mirai Fund to invest in domestic manufacturers with outstanding technology, human resources, and services to continue developing Japan’s manufacturing capabilities.
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2021
AprilSPARX partnered with Nomural Holdings, Inc. to establish Nomura SPARX Investment, Inc. to establish a listed company that will invest in unlisted companies.
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2022
AprilSPARX moved its listing from the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s First Section to its Prime Market.
