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William Blair & Company Announces Executive Committee Expansion and Hiring Plans

Chicago, March 6, 2009 - William Blair & Company’s president and CEO, John R. Ettelson, today announced several organization changes designed to address marketplace opportunities for the firm’s businesses. Mr. Ettelson prefaced his announcements by reiterating the firm’s strong position in a weakened industry and challenging economy. “We believe William Blair & Company will emerge even stronger on the other side of this downturn; and we are making some changes that help strategically position us to seize opportunities in the marketplace and continue our reputation as a firm people can trust.”

Dick Kiphart, formerly head of Corporate Finance and a member of the executive committee, has been named head of the Private Client Advisors business and will remain on the executive committee in his new role. This provides a strong advocate for the private wealth management business at the senior-most levels of the organization. With a 40-year-plus track record of helping businesses and organizations grow, Mr. Kiphart immediately announced plans to make capital investments in the business and commence hiring additional financial advisors.

Brent Gledhill, formerly head of European and Asian Banking and based in London since 2001, will move to Chicago and become global head of Corporate Finance and join the firm’s executive committee. Mr. Gledhill has led a successful growth and reputation surge in the international marketplace and has been instrumental in positioning William Blair & Company as a well-respected global firm. In announcing this appointment, Mr. Ettelson said, “Brent has worked with hundreds of clients around the world, built a diverse team, and extended our firm’s culture internationally; he is a tremendous leader and will do a great job as head of our global investment banking business.”

Matthew Gooch, formerly co-head of Special Situations & Restructuring, will move to London and head European Banking. Mr. Gooch joined the firm in 1997, and worked very closely with Mr. Gledhill in London from 2000 until early 2006. Mr. Gooch has since continued a very high level of involvement with international clients and the London banking teams. “Matt is an extremely talented banker and strategic thinker; and his transition to London will be completely seamless, given his continuity with the clients and bankers overseas,” said Mr. Ettelson.

These changes are effective immediately. No departures are associated with these announcements.

About William Blair & Company

William Blair & Company, L.L.C. is a global investment firm offering investment banking, asset management, equity research, institutional and private brokerage, and private capital to individual, institutional, and issuing clients. Since 1935, we have been committed to helping clients achieve their financial objectives. As an independent, employee-owned firm, our philosophy is to serve our clients' interests first and foremost. We place a high value on the enduring nature of our client relationships, the quality of our products and services, and the continuity and integrity of our people. William Blair & Company is based in Chicago, with office locations including Boston, London, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Zurich.


William Blair & Company is a trade name for William Blair & Company, L.L.C. and William Blair International, Limited. William Blair & Company, L.L.C., is a Delaware company and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other principal exchanges. William Blair International, Limited, is a U.K. company regulated by the Financial services Authority.

THIS IS NOT IN ANY SENSE A SOLICITATION OR OFFER OF THE PURCHASE OR SALE OF SECURITIES. THE FACTUAL STATEMENTS HEREIN HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM SOURCES WE BELIEVE TO BE RELIABLE, BUT SUCH STATEMENTS ARE MADE WITHOUT ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OR OTHERWISE. OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE OUR OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. FROM TIME TO TIME, WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY, L.L.C. OR ITS AFFILIATES MAY BUY AND SELL THE SECURITIES REFERRED TO HEREIN, MAY MAKE A MARKET THEREIN, AND MAY HAVE A LONG OR SHORT POSITION THEREIN. PRICES SHOWN ARE APPROXIMATE. THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM BY WILLIAM BLAIR INTERNATIONAL, LIMITED, REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY (FSA), AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT, AND IS ONLY MADE AVAILABLE TO, PERSONS FALLING WITHIN COB 3.5 AND 3.6 OF THE FSA HANDBOOK (BEING “ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES” AND “PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS”). THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT TO BE DISTRIBUTED OR PASSED ON TO ANY “RETAIL CLIENTS.” NO PERSONS OTHER THAN PERSONS TO WHOM THIS DOCUMENT IS DIRECTED SHOULD RELY ON IT OR ITS CONTENTS OR USE IT AS THE BASIS TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT DECISION. “WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY” AND “WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY (SCRIPT)” ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF WILLIAM BLAIR & COMPANY, L.L.C. Copyright 2009, William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

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