Stephanie Braming, CFA, partner, and global head of investment management for William Blair, was named to Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance 2023 list published March 17.
The list honors the top 100 women executives based in the United States who are shaping today’s financial services industry and leading it into the future. This is the second year in a row Braming was recognized.
Braming joined William Blair in 2004 and was promoted to global head of William Blair Investment Management in 2017. She leads a global team of nearly 350 employees who manage $56 billion in client assets.* She is president of William Blair Mutual Funds and 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 was a portfolio manager of nearly $20 billion in client assets.
“Stephanie believes in assessing the world through multiple lenses, allowing for more rigorous, holistic perspectives to drive client and colleague results,” said Brent Gledhill, president and CEO of William Blair. “She has curated the most diverse teams in our firm with an international recruiting focus and an inclusive culture that has expanded our firm’s breadth of perspectives.”
During her tenure as global head of investment management, Braming has overseen the launch of 16 new investment strategies; expanded the firm’s investment management services in Europe and Asia; and led the lift-out of an 11-person emerging markets debt team offering multiple products. She also spearheaded William Blair’s first major acquisition, a multibillion-dollar U.S. value equity investment firm, ICM. Alongside these accomplishments, Braming has championed sustainable strategies for ESG-focused investors while growing investment management’s ESG expertise and scoring methodology.
Her passion for education and fostering the next generation of leaders has driven her civic engagement as well. She works with nonprofits focused on STEM education and literacy for 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.
Barron's 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance 2023
Barron's Women in Finance: Stephanie Braming
*as of December 31, 2022