William Blair & Company, the Chicago-based global investment firm, is hiring at least 26 people.
Hiring will take place across investment banking, equity research, asset management and institutional private brokerage divisions. The firm plans to fill positions over the next few months.
In 2010, William Blair grew headcount by a little over 10% to about 1,000 employees, spokesperson Tony Zimmer said. Hiring took place in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, among other offices.
The firm will also recruit internationally, though it declined to specify in precisely which offices. William Blair has offices in Zurich, London and Shanghai.
The company declined to comment whether the growth in 2011 would match that of last year, but said dislocation in the markets reduced competition. The firm intends to poach talent from other banks as well as recruit recent college graduates.
The investment banking and equity research divisions will hire junior talent in addition to senior talent. In investment banking, the firm plans to expand in the technology sectors in Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. For vice president positions, the firm requires an MBA, a minimum of three years corporate finance experience since getting the MBA, and a bachelor's degree in finance or accounting is preferred.
Write to Julie Steinberg