William Blair & Company is a global investment banking and asset management firm. We are committed to building enduring relationships with our clients and providing expertise and solutions to meet their evolving needs. An independent and employee-owned firm, William Blair is based in Chicago, and has office locations in 10 cities, including London, New York, Shanghai, and Zurich.
Our Company – At a Glance
- Founded in 1935 by William McCormick Blair
- Independent and employee-owned
- Approximately 1,100 employees and 170 partners
- Based in Chicago with 10 office locations across four continents
- Average industry experience for our investment professionals is more than 22 years
- Manages more than $45 billion in assets (as of September 30, 2011)
- Award-winning, independent equity research
- Memberships: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC)
Consistency and continuity in leadership is a hallmark of our firm. Since the firm’s founding in 1935, William Blair & Company has had five CEOs or managing partners, three of whom continue to work at the firm. John Ettelson, who has served as president and CEO since 2004, heads the firm’s executive committee.
Learn more about our Executive Committee members.
We are committed to being a long-term partner to the communities that we live and work in. Building a neighborhood playground for the children of Broadview, Illinois; leading a fundraising effort to support San Francisco schools; and cooking meals at the Ronald McDonald House in London are just three recent examples of firm-wide events where our employees have rolled up their sleeves to serve their neighbors. Our firm has consistently been ranked at as Top 25 Corporate Citizen for our support of the United Way. In 2011, the William Blair & Company Foundation contributed to 250 organizations, and our employees personally contributed to hundreds more through their time, energy, and leadership.
William Blair & Company was founded in Chicago in 1935 by William McCormick Blair. Mr. Blair’s vision was to help clients achieve long-term financial success by identifying Midwestern growth-oriented companies. From that foundation, William Blair & Company has grown into a full-service investment banking and asset management firm with 1,100 employees across four continents. Throughout our history, our firm has remained independent and managed by active employee-owners. While our headquarters remain in Chicago, our vision extends to clients and investment opportunities around the globe.
As our firm continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of a dynamic global marketplace, the words of our founder are as relevant and influential today as they have ever been: “When our clients succeed, the firm’s success will follow.”
We are committed to being a long-term partner to the communities that we live and work in. Building a neighborhood playground for the children of Broadview, Illinois; leading a fundraising effort to support San Francisco schools; and cooking meals at the Ronald McDonald House in London are just three recent examples of firm-wide events where our employees have rolled up their sleeves to serve their neighbors. Our firm has consistently been ranked at as Top 25 Corporate Citizen for our support of the United Way. In 2011, the William Blair & Company Foundation contributed to 250 organizations, and our employees personally contributed to hundreds more through their time, energy, and leadership.