GBG plc, Our history

Summary

This GBG plc history page lists company milestones by year. In 1989 Phonelink is founded as a phone number directory service in Birkenhead while GB Mailing Systems launches in Chester as an address look-up service. The business moved onto the London Stock Exchange Main Market in August 1995 as Phonelink plc. Chris Clark joins as CEO in 2017, and Dev Dhiman is appointed CEO in 2024. On 30 Oct 2025 GBG was admitted back to the London Stock Exchange's Main Market, and from 22 Dec 2025 it is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.

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Our history

2025

Moved to the Main Market

On 30 Oct 2025, GBG was admitted back to the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market. From 22 Dec 2025, it is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index, representing the largest mid-cap UK listed companies.

2025

Launched GBG Go

Launch of GBG Go, GBG's new all-in-one global identity platform, which seamlessly connects customers to over 80 global identity fraud protection modules.’

2023

Stronger together

We completed the integration of our two US businesses with GBG IDology becoming our go-to-market brand in the Americas region.

2021

Building trust together

Acuant, the leading US specialist in AI-powered digital identity verification joins GBG, combining our powerful identity and fraud prevention technologies to create a safer digital world.

2020

Company of the Year

We win Company of the Year at the AIM Awards, the annual celebration of outstanding achievement on the world’s most successful growth market.

2019

Joining forces with IDology

We acquire IDology, an Atlanta-based business with a strong identity and fraud proposition, adding global identity verification and fraud prevention capability in a key growth market.

2018

Teaming up with VVG

We’re growing again with the acquisition of VIX Verify Group (VVG), scaling up our identity verification and location intelligence solutions in Australia and New Zealand.

2017

Coming together with PCA Predict

The acquisition of UK/US-based PCA Predict brings together PCA’s SaaS technology with GBG’s global address repository, creating the world’s leading location intelligence platform.

2015

We are GBG

We take aim at global growth as our GB Group business is re-branded to 'GBG' for ease of international recognition.

2014

Going international with DecTech

GB Group’s first international acquisition delivers expansion into Asia and a joint Identity and Fraud solution enabling our customers to operate securely on a global scale.

2010

AIM and growth

We take our growth ambitions up a gear, moving onto the AIM register for the London Stock Exchange, the world’s most successful growth market.

2006

Our global journey begins

We set out on a path to global identity verification with the launch of ID3 Check, our first international identity verification product, covering a total of 21 countries.

1998

Coming together on customer information

Phonelink acquires GB Mailing systems and Seaforths Travel to focus on customer information and database management, online business services and corporate travel.

1993

Joined the public equity markets

The business debuted on the London Stock Exchange’s unlisted stock market in June 1993 as Phonelink plc for smaller, growth companies (the precursor to AIM)

2024

Dev Dhiman appointed as CEO

Having joined GBG in 2020 as Managing Director, Asia Pacific. Dev's sector experience and years at GBG mean he is well-placed to lead GBG through the next phase of its evolution.

2022

Cloudcheck comes onboard

Verifi Identity Services, aka ‘Cloudcheck’, joins GBG – adding New Zealand’s leading digital identity verification and anti-money laundering solution to our global portfolio of trust-building tech.

2021

20,000+ customers worldwide

From start-ups to many of the world’s biggest and fastest growing brands, we reach a major milestone in customers served across 70+ countries in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

2019

1,000+ team members

We reach a milestone 1,000 team members, simultaneously celebrating three decades in business as our talent tally tops four figures for the first time.

2018

£100 million revenue milestone

We celebrate another financial first for the business as we reach the £100 million revenue mark, a major performance milestone for the company.

2017

Chris Clark joins as CEO

Chris joins the company bringing his extensive experience and expertise in steering and growing international technology businesses, both large and small.

2016

IDscan Biometrics comes onboard

We acquire IDscan Biometrics, adding automated identity verification and data capture capabilities to complement our global Know Your Customer expertise.

2015

Joining forces with Loqate

Loqate, based in Silicon Valley, brings its global location intelligence data and technology to our business helping us reach new markets and customers across the globe.

2012

Hello ID3global

We launch the next generation of identity verification with ID3global, a smarter, faster web service with more country coverage than any other identity verification provider.

2009

£1 million first for GB Group

2002

Richard Law joins as CEO

So begins a fifteen-year success story for the company as Richard Law joins as CEO and the business transformation toward the contemporary GBG gets started.

1995

Listed on the Main Market

The business moved onto the London Stock Exchange Main Market in August 1995 as Phonelink plc

1989

Phonelink and GB Mailing Systems

Starting out in the same year, Phonelink is founded as a phone number directory service in Birkenhead, just as GB Mailing Systems launches in Chester as an address look-up service.

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