William Blair

William Blair was founded in Chicago on January 8, 1935, by William McCormick Blair and Francis Bonner. Today it describes itself as an independent global partnership with more than 20 offices worldwide and operations spanning four continents.

The firm combines investment banking, investment management, private wealth management, institutional sales and trading, and equity research. Its banking platform advises public and private companies, financial sponsors, founders, and entrepreneurs on M&A, board matters, equity and debt financing, private capital, and liquidity events.

William Blair is particularly strong in research-driven coverage of growth sectors and in middle-market and private-equity-related transactions. Its investment-management business focuses on active strategies across U.S. and non-U.S. equities and emerging-markets debt, while its banking teams emphasize sectors including healthcare, technology, biopharma, industrial growth products, and tech-enabled services.