Getty Images Holdings

Getty Images Holdings

Getty Images traces its origin to 1995, when Mark Getty and Jonathan Klein founded the business to consolidate the fragmented stock photography industry. The firm acquired dozens of archival collections and competitors—most notably the Hulton Picture Archive—creating a centralized repository of historical and contemporary imagery. Today the company functions as a media licensing platform, supplying images, video and music to over one million paying customers including newsrooms, advertising agencies and corporate marketing teams. Its editorial desk covers live events globally, from fashion weeks to the FIFA World Cup, while its creative side produces custom visual content for brands. Strategic partnerships have included deep integrations with Meta Platforms and Google's AI image generation tools. Getty Images went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2022 through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, CC Neuberger Principal Holdings II. The firm maintains its corporate headquarters in Seattle, Washington, with international operations coordinated from its Dublin office. Its competitive position relies on exclusive rights to cover major sports leagues and entertainment events. The company is distinct from a traditional family office or asset manager; it is an operating company whose asset base consists of intellectual property rather than invested capital. Its structural moat derives from exclusive photographic rights agreements and a library of over 135 million creative images spanning the history of photography.