William Blair has continued its investment banking growth in Europe with the opening of an office in Madrid and the addition of investment banking capabilities to the firm’s office in Zurich.

“William Blair’s investment banking momentum in Europe continues, and I’m excited to build an on-the-ground presence in Iberia through the establishment of an office in Madrid, and enhance our capabilities from our Zurich office,” said Anu Sharma, head of European investment banking at William Blair. “Leading with a sector-first approach and a globally integrated team, we have a proven model of generating exceptional outcomes for our European clients.”

William Blair’s Madrid office will be led by Álvaro Hernández, managing director and head of Iberia coverage within the financial sponsors group. Hernández joined the firm’s London office in 2019, advising private equity funds and management teams, as well as both public and private multinational and local-market companies, on domestic and cross-border transactions.

“Iberia has proved to be an important market for William Blair; we have already advised on a number of high-profile transactions across different sectors in the region,” Hernández said. “Our truly global reach and deep sector expertise, now combined with local capabilities, will allow us to continue to serve our clients in Iberia with world-class service, connectivity, and unique industry insights.”

In Zurich, where the firm has maintained a long-standing presence for its institutional investment clients, William Blair will enhance its footprint with the addition of investment banking capabilities, initially focused on healthcare.

William Blair’s investment banking expansion across Europe builds on the firm’s addition of six senior-level bankers covering multiple sectors in 2022. Following a record-breaking year of impact for clients globally in 2021, William Blair was named the winner of the 2022 European Corporate Finance House of the Year award by Real Deals’ Private Equity Awards.

William Blair Madrid is a full branch of William Blair International Limited conducting non-regulated activities. William Blair International GmbH is a subsidiary of William Blair International Limited in Zurich.