The ADR has been a very important equity market tool for many years. So long in fact that in 2007 the instrument celebrates its 80th birthday. Apparently, the ADR was invented by John Pierpont Morgan, Jr when his friend and fellow American, Harry Gordon Selfridge, the owner of Selfridges, one of London’s most renowned retail stores, asked him to develop a way for Selfridges shares to be sold in New York. Morgan’s good deed for a friend turned into a very profitable line of work, and one that JPMorgan still holds the top spot in. Now the only question that remains is how exactly JPMorgan is planning to commemorate this momentous year.