Managing Director, Financial Sponsors Group
Sean Gardner is a partner and managing director for William Blair based in the firm’s New York office. Sean originates new business (across M&A, debt, and equity), proprietary ideas and maintains client relationships at middle market and large cap private equity clients. He also provides strategic advice to C-level management and corporate board members. He joined the investment banking team in 2015. Before William Blair, he worked for Credit Suisse, American Securities Capital, and Merrill Lynch.
Trustee, Treasurer, Finance Committee, Convent Ave. Baptist Church
Momentum Golf & Education
a portfolio company of SK Capital Partners and Edgewater Capital Partners
has been acquired by
a portfolio company of AEA Investors
January 2026
a portfolio company of
Goldman Sachs Private Equity
has been acquired by
December 2025
a portfolio company of EagleTree Capital
has been acquired by
a portfolio company of
The Riverside Company
December 2025
William Blair acted as financial advisor to Moss Inc., a portfolio company of EagleTree Capital, in connection with its sale to The Vomela Companies, a portfolio company of The Riverside Company.
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a portfolio company of WCAS
Initial Public Offering
December 2025
has acquired
a portfolio company of Mainsail Partners
September 2025
has acquired
August 2024
has acquired
a portfolio company of Goldner Hawn
August 2024
William Blair acted as financial advisor to The Blackstone Group in connection with its acquisitions of Salient, a portfolio company of LFM Capital, and Trystar, a portfolio company of Goldner Hawn.
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a portfolio company of EQT
Initial Public Offering
June 2024
a portfolio company of GreyLion Partners
has been acquired by
May 2024
William Blair acted as the exclusive financial advisor to MTL Holdings, a portfolio company of GreyLion Partners, in connection with its pending sale to Carlisle Companies, Inc (NYSE: CSL).
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have acquired
May 2024
William Blair acted as the exclusive financial advisor to private equity funds affiliated with Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners in connection with their pending acquisition of Energy Exemplar.
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has made a strategic
investment in
a portfolio company of
Northlane Capital Partners
April 2024
a portfolio company of MidOcean Partners
has acquired
March 2024
William Blair acted as exclusive financial advisor to Zonda, a portfolio company of MidOcean Partners, in connection with its acquisition of Builders Digital Experience.
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More about investment banking at William Blair
William Blair's Financial Sponsors Group is focused on developing and institutionalizing relationships with leading private equity firms around the world. Many of these relationships have been developed for over two decades providing us with senior-level access and credibility with the key decision-makers at each private equity firm. With over 295 successful sales to financial sponsors since 2015, we have proprietary insights into each financial sponsor's unique investment criteria, approach, and behavior. Our team's highly-relevant experience with and relevance to the private equity community uniquely positions William Blair to deliver exceptional results for our M&A sell-side clients.
More about our financial sponsors expertise
William Blair is a premier global partnership with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management. We provide advisory services, strategies, and solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs. As an independent and employee-owned firm, together with our strategic partners, we operate in more than 30 offices worldwide.*
Year William Blair was founded
Employees worldwide
Client assets
Independent and employee-owned
Offices worldwide*
Companies under coverage
As of December 31, 2025
*Includes strategic partnerships with Allier Capital, BDA Partners, and Poalim Equity.
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