William Blair & Company, L.L.C., distributor to the William Blair Funds, today announced the newest addition to its mutual fund family, the William Blair International Leaders Fund. The fund, to be managed by George Greig and Ken McAtamney, seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in foreign companies with above-average returns on equity, strong balance sheets, and consistent, above-average earnings growth, resulting in a focused portfolio of leading companies.
"We are pleased to offer our clients and investors the William Blair International Leaders strategy utilizing our International Team's proven, time-tested process," said Michelle Seitz, CFA, head of William Blair Investment Management and a member of the firm's executive committee. "Supported by an experienced team of research analysts, portfolio managers, and traders, George and Ken will search for the highest-conviction companies with the strongest corporate performance that we believe will be the long-term category winners."
"The strategy has an unconstrained approach, facilitated by broad region and sector parameters that allow for meaningful variation from the benchmark," Ms. Seitz said. "We believe the strategy may be a good complement for investors seeking to enhance alpha generation potential relative to the typical core international fund offering."
The International Leaders strategy joins the Emerging Leaders and Global Growth strategies in focusing on high-conviction ideas.
George Greig has been the leader of William Blair's International Team since 1996. In addition to this role, Mr. Greig is the portfolio manager of the William Blair International Growth strategy and co-portfolio manager for the Global Growth and International Leaders strategies. He also serves as the global strategist for William Blair Investment Management and is on the firm's executive committee. Ken McAtamney joined William Blair in 2005 as part of the International Team. Mr. McAtamney is a co-portfolio manager for the Global Growth and International Leaders strategies.
The firm's International Growth strategy was closed to new investors on June 30, 2012.
Disclosure:
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment returns and principal will fluctuate and you may have a gain or loss when you sell shares. Class N Shares are available to the general public without a sales load. Class I Shares are available to certain institutional investors.
International investing involves special risk considerations, including currency fluctuations, lower liquidity, and economic and political risk.
Please carefully consider the Funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. This and other information is contained in the Funds' prospectus, which you may obtain by calling +1 800 742 7272. Read it carefully before you invest or send money.
©William Blair & Company, L.L.C., Distributor. 08/12.
About William Blair Investment Management
William Blair Investment Management is the money management operation of William Blair & Company, L.L.C., consisting of the institutional, mutual fund, high-net-worth, and private wealth management businesses. With over $44 billion in assets (as of June 30, 2012), William Blair Investment Management provides portfolio management for international, domestic, and global equities, domestic fixed income, hedge fund, and funds of hedge funds. The group also acts as the investment advisor to a family of 25 open-end mutual funds, as well as five SICAVs for non-U.S. citizens or residents. More information about the William Blair Funds is available at www.williamblairfunds.com.
About William Blair & Company
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, with office locations in 10 cities including London, New York, Shanghai, and Zurich. For more information, please visit williamblair.com.
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