History

2022

20-20 revives international travel with a Spring annual meeting in London and a Fall trip to Kenya and South Africa. 

2020/2021

Trips were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, the EastWest Institute ceases operations, effectively ending the association with 20-20. 

2019

20-20 Chair Ralph Layman leads his first delegation on a visit to the Philippines and Thailand.  

2018

20-20 visits Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco. The trip marks the group's first visit to West Africa and the third visit to the African continent. 

2017

20-20 hosts an annual meeting in Mexico City - only the second international meeting site (the first was Toronto in 2009). 

2015

20-20 celebrates its 25th anniversary with an annual meeting in Seattle (home of 20-20 founder George Russell) and kicks off its annual trip in Prague - one of the first two cities on the inaugural trip in 1992. 

2014

20-20 delegation meets with recently inaugurated President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in Jakarta - marking the President's first meeting with an international group. 

2013

20-20 Chair Tania Zouikin leads her first delegation on a visit to Beijing, Western China and Mongolia. 

2012

Russell and 20-20 end a 22-year relationship. The group changes its name to 20-20 Investment Association and enters into an association with the EastWest Institute. 

2006

Russell 20-20 visits Ukraine and Turkey - the Ukraine visit marks the first official inclusion of a "frontier market" (the first frontier market index was established the following year).

2002

Russell 20-20 Chair Michael Phillips leads his first delegation on a visit to Russia and Poland.

2001

The tragic terrorist attacks of 9/11 postpone a planned trip to Russia and Poland.

2000

George Russell leads the group to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam - it would be his last trip as Chair.

1999

Russell 20-20's first emerging markets trip: Chile, Brazil and Argentina.

1998

George Russell and 20-20 members expand the group's scope beyond command and transition economies to all emerging markets.

1995

Russell 20-20 incorporates as an independent, non-profit organization.

1992

Russell 20-20 takes its inaugural trip to Czechoslovakia and Poland. Later that year, Russell 20-20 holds its first annual meeting in New York City.

1990

George Russell attends an Aspen Group talk and is inspired by EastWest Institute President John Mroz's speech about the pending dissolution of the Soviet Union. George comes up with the idea of assembling a group of experienced investors - 20 corporate pensions and 20 asset managers - to travel to former command economies as they transition to more open economic systems and learn about investment opportunities by "kicking the tires."