International Thomson Organization (ITO) was a holding company, for interests in publishing, travel, and natural resources, that existed from 1978 to 1989.
ITO was formed in order to move the Thomson Organization's operating base from Britain to Canada, so that it would not be subject to British monopolies legislation, foreign-exchange controls and dividend limitation.
In 1980, Thomson acquired Jane's, an publishing company specializing in military intelligence.
In 1981, it acquired the publishing operations of Litton Industries, including the Physicians' Desk Reference.
[4] In 1989, ITO acquired Lawyers Cooperative Publishing, including subsidiaries Bancroft-Whitney and Research Institute of America.