From humble beginnings in 1860 as Henry Varnum Poor’s pioneering railroad financial guide, S&P Global has grown into a $140 billion powerhouse at the heart of global financial markets. This riveting evolution charts how a niche publisher built unshakeable trust, became the bedrock for credit ratings and market benchmarks, and masterfully harnessed technology—from early stock indices to cutting-edge AI—to deliver indispensable “essential intelligence” that shapes nearly every major investment decision worldwide. Surviving crises, regulatory storms, and tectonic technological shifts, S&P Global’s story is not just corporate history but a masterclass in creating lasting moats through standards, data network effects, subscription economics, and innovation. As it embarks on new chapters—embracing private markets, ESG, AI, and global expansion—the company’s transformation invites readers to explore how a 19th-century railroad analyst’s quest for transparency became the neural network of today’s financial universe. Dive deeper to discover the strategies, challenges, and visionary leadership crafting the next 165 years of financial intelligence.

• I. Introduction & Episode Roadmap
• II. Origins: Poor's Publishing & The Railroad Era (1860-1916)
• III. The McGraw-Hill Connection & The Formation of Standard & Poor's (1888-1941)
• IV. The McGraw-Hill Era & Building the Ratings Empire (1966-2012)
• V. The Spin-off & Transformation (2013-2020)
• VI. The IHS Markit Mega-Merger (2020-2022)
• VII. Business Model & Competitive Moats
• VIII. Technology, Data, and AI Strategy
• IX. Playbook: Business & Investing Lessons
• X. Analysis & Bear vs. Bull Case
• XI. Epilogue & "If We Were CEOs"
• XII. Recent News**
• XIII. Links & Resources