John R. Ettelson, partner, is the chairman of William Blair. Prior to being appointed chairman in January of 2022, John served as William Blair’s chief executive officer. Under his leadership as CEO for 18 years, the investment banking, private wealth and asset management businesses expanded to more than 20 offices globally and annual revenue grew sevenfold to over $2 billion. During his three decades at William Blair, John has held various leadership positions within the firm, including: president; head of mergers and acquisitions; chief financial officer; and chief operating officer. John is a respected civic leader and in 2019, received the prestigious Illinois Holocaust Museum Humanit