| February 1979 | The current incarnation of ABC is founded |
| 1999 | China’s troubled big-four banks spin off Rmb1.4 trillion of their non-performing assets into Asset Management Companies |
| October 27 2006 | ICBC listed in world’s biggest ever IPO, A-shares and H-shares raising $21.9 billion |
| May 2008 | Pan Gongsheng appointed vice-governor of ABC, having worked on ICBC listing |
| Jan 16 2009 | ABC incorporated in Beijing with registered capital of Rmb260 billion, with a view to an IPO in the near future |
| April 2 2010 | Good Friday – banks receive RFP calls from ABC management, and scramble to complete the pitch books over the weekend. Senior investment bankers begin flying in to Beijing from Easter holidays around the world |
| April 7-8 2010 | Almost 30 banks gather in Beijing offices of ABC to pitch for bookrunner roles on the deal, drawing lots to decide pitch order |
| April 14 2010 | ABC picks bookrunners for A+H listing: H-share: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, CICC , JPMorgan, Macquarie, Deutsche Bank, ABC international A-share: CICC, Citic Securities, Galaxy Securities, Guotai Junan Securities |
| April 16 2010 | Goldman Sachs is charged by the SEC in New York over how it marketed certain sub-prime-related mortgage products, prompting lobbying in Beijing by rival investment banks that ABC kick the US firm from its IPO |
| May 4 2010 | ABC presents listing request to Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges |
| June 2010 | ABC launches pre-roadshows in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzen, while investment banks and ABC alike use their contacts with top banks, funds and tycoons to secure all-important anchor and cornerstone investors |
| June 9 2010 | CSRC Public Offering Review Committee begins reviewing the deal. |