Headquarters: Chicago
AUM: $74.2 billion as of June 30
U.S. employees: 325
Years Won: 2012-2013, 2015-2024
Three cool things:
- The company’s Talent Tours encourage colleagues to present on topics or hobbies that interest them to their peers and have included mixed martial arts, wine tasting, knitting, grilling, drawing and chess fundamentals.
- The firm’s Asset Management Diversity Accelerator provides opportunities for diverse candidates and those with degrees in areas other than financial services to participate in a 24-month rotational program; the company’s Always Be Recruiting philosophy has led to an email campaign that showcases open investment management roles, as well as blogs and podcasts, and is distributed quarterly to candidates on William Blair’s roster.
- To encourage mental health, employees and their family members can receive up to five free sessions with a licensed professional counselor for each issue per year. Employees can also access a team of luxury lifestyle experts to help with personal tasks such as party planning, contractor research, and restaurant and event bookings.
Employees say:
- “People like working here because you work with really smart people that push you to be better. The teams in investment management are still small enough and collaborative enough for newer employees to have an impact. You get exposure to a range of different working styles and different ways of approaching problems.”
- “The commitment to a hybrid work environment with dedicated work-from-home days and work-from-anywhere weeks has been wonderful for a work-life balance. The parental leave policy is outstanding. I was able to spend time with my newborn (rather than sending him to daycare right away) during the first stages of his life when development is so crucial.”
- “Our work is meaningful. I see how my role translates into client results. Some firms focus only on investment teams, but at William Blair, we celebrate all of our roles — including distribution, administration and infrastructure.”
