William Blair’s Stephanie Braming, CFA, partner, global head of investment management, was named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance 2022 list published March 7.
The list honors the top 100 women executives based in the United States who are helping shape today’s financial services industry.
Braming, who joined William Blair in 2004, was promoted to global head of William Blair Investment Management in 2017. She leads nearly 350 employees who manage over $79 billion in client assets.* She is president of William Blair Funds and chairman of the William Blair SICAVs. In addition, Braming is a member of William Blair’s governing executive committee, responsible for the oversight and strategic direction of the firm. Before leading investment management, Braming served as a portfolio manager of nearly $20 billion in client assets.
During her four years as global head of investment management, she expanded the firm’s investment management business in Europe and Asia and led the lift-out of an 11-person emerging markets debt team. Braming also spearheaded William Blair’s first major acquisition, the U.S. value equity investment firm, ICM, with over $4 billion in assets. Under her leadership, the firm’s tight-knit investment teams continued to focus on their mission of delivering client results, with strategies achieving strong results since inception.
“Those accomplishments underscore her drive to create value, courage to embrace challenges, and dedication to empower colleagues,” said Brent Gledhill, president and CEO of William Blair. “Stephanie naturally assesses topics with a global mindset, an inclusive style, and rigorous, holistic debate—all key to her success driving impact for clients and colleagues.”
As a portfolio manager, Braming constructed portfolios with a singular philosophy but invested in a diverse set of companies across countries, sectors, and sizes. That experience has translated directly into her human capital philosophy, where her goal is to attract and retain the best and brightest at William Blair, regardless of background, by fostering intellectual curiosity and debate among diverse teams. She has led by example by empowering female colleagues to take on new roles and encouraging nonlinear career paths more broadly.
Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion has inspired her civic leadership as well. She works with nonprofits dedicated to literacy and STEM education, with a focus on historically underserved communities.
Braming serves on the boards of the Investment Company Institute, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and Working in the Schools. She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum, Economic Club of Chicago, and The Chicago Network.
*as of December 31, 2021