Stephanie Braming (left) and Vivian Lin Thurston
William Blair's Stephanie Braming, CFA, partner, and Vivian Lin Thurston, CFA, partner, were named to Crain's Notable Women in Finance list for 2019 which honors Chicago's top leaders in financial services.
Braming and Thurston, both with the firm's Investment Management team, were cited for their accomplishments within the finance industry and wide investment knowledge. They were among 30 prominent women to be included in Crain's Chicago inaugural list.
"This is wonderful news and recognizes the leadership of Stephanie and Vivian within our industry," said John Ettelson, president and CEO of William Blair. "They are making a huge impact for clients and the firm, launching new investment strategies and championing inclusion and diversity initiatives."
Braming in October 2017 was named the global head of William Blair's Investment Management team, which manages more than $54 billion in client assets.* She has 20 years of experience in finance and was a portfolio manager for several of William Blair's largest funds before assuming her current role. Since then she has led the launch of six new investment strategies and driven expansion of the firm's technology development and ESG initiatives. Braming has also been a champion and role model for women in the investment management industry.
Thurston also has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. She was instrumental in the successful launch of the firm's China-A shares growth strategy in 2018. As a portfolio manager, she has visited China 11 times and conducted more than 200 meetings with executives, analysts, and policy makers there. She has also made an impact in her community promoting Chinese culture. Thurston founded and is chair of the Chinese Finance Association of America, which promotes educational and cultural exchange among American and Chinese finance professionals.
*as of March 31, 2019