On January 8, our firm celebrates its 90th anniversary. For nine decades, we have served our clients by protecting, growing, catalyzing, and perpetuating the financial assets and philanthropic goals that help define their legacies. We are honored that clients trust us with this tremendous responsibility.
An essential part of this responsibility involves navigating the economic, technological, and geopolitical trends shaping financial markets. Equities markets delivered strong performance in 2024, largely fueled by a resilient U.S. economy and artificial intelligence’s potential to drive productivity gains. This economic stability, combined with declining interest rates, led to a rebound in mergers and acquisitions, and we played a pivotal role in helping companies capitalize on these opportunities.
In December, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates while signaling uncertainty about the path of monetary policy in 2025 as the U.S. central bank considers the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed trade and tax policies on inflation and economic growth. In this issue of Client Focus, William Blair Macro Analyst Richard de Chazal shares his view on the economic landscape and examines the trends that could shape financial markets in 2025.
Protecting financial legacies means more than simply managing market risks. Global Guardian provides security solutions that help companies, employees, and families protect against cybercrime and other threats posed by political currents, environmental conditions, and bad actors worldwide. Global Guardian CEO and Founder Dale Buckner provides an in-depth look at today’s emerging security challenges and offers practical solutions for managing these risks. Our Private Wealth Management team offers insights for securing your financial data and steps to take if you have been hacked, as well as strategies to consider to meet financial and philanthropic goals.
For many families we serve, pets are a vital and loving part of their lives. We are proud to highlight how our long-time client, PAWS Chicago, is protecting animals across the Chicagoland region and advancing animal welfare. PAWS is one of the nation’s largest no-kill animal shelters and has helped over 80,000 animals find their forever homes since its opening in the late 1990s.
Thank you for all the ways you are investing in the causes that matter most to you. We are honored to have been a part of these efforts for 90 years, and we look forward to many more years of shared success.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at CEOPerspective@williamblair.com with any questions or ideas for how we can better serve you in 2025 and beyond.
Sincerely,
Brent Gledhill
President and CEO