Where we’ve been

Friends Reunited was launched in 2000 as the back-bedroom hobby of a husband and wife team in North London. The site quickly became a British media phenomenon, growing from two million members in its first year, to over 24 million registered members today. In 2003, sister site Genes Reunited was created to allow members an easy way to search for their ancestors online. Two years later, Friends Reunited was sold to ITV and in 2008, the site became completely free for the first time. A range of social features were subsequently launched to help people share and express the important things in their life with family, friends and classmates. In 2010, brightsolid Online Innovation acquired the Friends Reunited Group, integrating the Friends Reunited brand into its strong online portfolio of sites where people go to search their past, share their story and connect with people and places.

An Evolution

In 2012, Friends Reunited evolved to recapture the initial spark of magic that led to its huge growth 12 years earlier. The new site allows members to celebrate all of their most cherished memories, with the people who were there too. Through on-going content agreements with the The Press Association, Francis Frith and the British Library, in addition to the memories added by Friends Reunited members, the site will continue to grow as the home for nostalgia online.

Our Spokespeople:

Chris Van der Kuyl – CEO of parent company brightsolid online innovation. Leading the company with a legendary energy and resolve, Chris thoroughly embraces his entrepreneurial roots in wanting to create genuine value and impact in the wider world with brightsolid.

Matt Bushby – Head of Friends Reunited. Running the unique Friends Reunited brand for over two years, Matt has shaped its evolution to the home of nostalgia online.