What Does William Blair Do?

Total employees2396
HeadquartersChicago
Founded1935

William Blair & Company, L.L.C. is a global boutique investment banking and asset management firm. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Chicago, the employee-owned firm is dedicated to building strong relationships with its clients and providing expert advice and solutions. William Blair focuses on growth-oriented companies across various sectors, including technology, healthcare, consumer, and industrials. Its services encompass M&A advisory, equity and debt financing, equity research, institutional sales and trading, and private wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and families.

Where Is William Blair's Headquarters?

William Blair officeWilliam Blair officeWilliam Blair officeWilliam Blair office
*Images sourced via web search. Rights belong to original owners

HQ Function

The Chicago headquarters serves as the central hub for the firm's global operations, strategic initiatives, investment banking, asset management, and private wealth management leadership.

Notable Features:

Located in a modern, award-winning skyscraper along the Chicago River, known for its distinctive architecture, advanced technology, and sustainable design. The building offers panoramic views of the city.

Work Culture:

William Blair fosters a collaborative, client-centric, and entrepreneurial work culture. As an employee-owned firm, there's a strong emphasis on integrity, teamwork, excellence, and long-term perspectives in client service and community involvement.

HQ Significance:

The headquarters in Chicago underscores William Blair's deep roots in the city's financial history and its role as a key player in the U.S. financial markets, while also serving as the command center for its international expansion.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters' design and location reflect William Blair's commitment to excellence, innovation, sustainability, and providing a premier environment for its employees and clients.

Location:

William Blair maintains a significant global presence with offices strategically located across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. This international network enables the firm to offer seamless, integrated services worldwide. Key functions supported globally include investment banking (M&A advisory, equity and debt capital markets), asset management (institutional and private wealth management solutions), equity research, and institutional sales and trading, catering to a diverse international client base.

Street Address:

The William Blair Building, 150 North Riverside Plaza

City:

Chicago

State/Province:

Illinois

Country:

USA

Where Else Does William Blair Operate Around the World?

London, United Kingdom

Address: Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ, UK

Primary center for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) operations, client engagement, and deal origination in the European market.

New York, NY, USA

Address: 11 Madison Avenue, Suite 2700, New York, NY 10010, USA

Strengthens client relationships, deal sourcing, and execution capabilities in the critical U.S. East Coast financial ecosystem.

Frankfurt, Germany

Address: OpernTurm, Bockenheimer Landstraße 2-4, 60306 Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Expands William Blair's footprint in continental Europe, offering specialized services to DACH-based companies and investors.

Shanghai, China

Address: Unit 3504, Park Place, 1601 Nanjing Road West, Jing'an District, Shanghai 200040, China

Facilitates access to Asian growth markets and connects Asian enterprises with global capital and strategic partners.

Boston, MA, USA

Address: One International Place, Suite 3510, Boston, MA 02110, USA

Serves clients in the innovation-rich New England area, providing specialized financial advisory and wealth services.

Buying Intent Signals for William Blair

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading William Blair? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, William Blair' leadership includes:

Brent Gledhill - Chief Executive Officer
John R. Ettelson - Chairman
Beth Satterfield - Global Head of Investment Banking
Stephanie Braming, CFA - Global Head of William Blair Investment Management
Jon Zindel - Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer
Art Simon - General Counsel

Who's Investing in William Blair?

William Blair has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

William Blair is a private, independent, and employee-owned firm. Its ownership structure is internal, residing with its partners and employees, rather than external institutional investors or public shareholders.

What Leadership Changes Has William Blair Seen Recently?

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William Blair has made several strategic appointments and promotions in the last 12 months to strengthen its capabilities in key growth areas such as financial sponsor coverage and private capital advisory. These moves underscore the firm's commitment to expanding its expertise and client service.

New Appointments:

Tom Marking, Tom Marking joined William Blair to establish and lead the firm's new Private Capital Advisory practice, focusing on GP-led secondaries and strategic advisory.
Daniel Polsky, Daniel Polsky was promoted to Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Financial Sponsor Coverage, enhancing the firm's engagement with private equity clients.
Scott McLaughlin, Scott McLaughlin was promoted to Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Financial Sponsor Coverage, working alongside Daniel Polsky to lead the sponsor coverage team.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byWilliam Blair?

Discover the tools William Blair uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

William Blair Email Formats and Examples

William Blair & Company typically uses a standard professional email format. The most common structure is the first initial of the first name followed by the last name.

flast@williamblair.com

Format

jdoe@williamblair.com

Example

92%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About William Blair?

William Blair Press Release • 2024-04-16

William Blair Investment Management Launches Emerging Markets ex-China Growth Strategy

William Blair Investment Management announced the launch of its Emerging Markets ex-China Growth strategy. This new actively managed strategy aims to provide clients with exposure to attractive growth opportunities in emerging markets, excluding China....more

William Blair Press Release • 2024-01-23

William Blair Names Daniel Polsky and Scott McLaughlin Co-Heads of U.S. Financial Sponsor Coverage

William Blair announced the appointments of Daniel Polsky and Scott McLaughlin as managing directors and co-heads of U.S. financial sponsor coverage. This move aims to strengthen the firm's capabilities in serving private equity clients....more

William Blair Press Release • 2023-11-01

William Blair Appoints Tom Marking as Head of Private Capital Advisory

William Blair announced that Tom Marking has joined the firm as a managing director and head of Private Capital Advisory, a new business line within the firm’s investment banking platform, focusing on GP-led secondaries and other liquidity solutions....more

William Blair Press Release • 2023-10-10

William Blair Continues European Expansion With New Office in Milan

William Blair announced the opening of a new office in Milan, Italy, furthering its expansion across Europe and enhancing its investment banking presence in the Italian market....more

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