William Blair Expands Consumer and Retail Investment Banking Team

Adding Ben Riback as a Managing Director in Chicago

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--William Blair, the premier global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management, today announced that Ben Riback joined the firm’s growing Consumer and Retail investment banking team. Riback joins as a managing director based in the Chicago office and will be a leader in the food and beverage and agribusiness sector.

"Ben is a talented and experienced banker, bringing a breadth of capabilities and senior-level advisory experience," said Adam Filkin, managing director and head of the Consumer and Retail investment banking team. "We are excited to have him join the team. Ben’s long track record of successful food and beverage leadership will be a tremendous asset to our clients."

With more than 17 years of industry experience, Riback joins William Blair after spending 10 years at BMO Capital Markets, where he was most recently a managing director. Riback was responsible for client coverage across the food and beverage landscape, leading mergers-and-acquisitions and equity and debt transactions across multiple verticals for public, private equity, and family-owned businesses. Before that, he was with Citibank in New York and Arthur Anderson’s business consulting group. Riback received his B.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and his M.B.A. from the Michigan Ross School of Business.

In 2020, William Blair unlocked over $115 billion in value for clients, completing 250 transactions.

About William Blair Investment Banking

William Blair’s investment banking group enables corporations, financial sponsors, and owner/entrepreneurs around the world to achieve their growth, liquidity, and financing objectives. Drawing on the collective intellectual capital and deep sector expertise of a global team that reaches over 20 cities on four continents, the investment banking group brings a rigorous and innovative approach to corporate board advisory projects, mergers and acquisitions, and equity and debt financing. From 2016 to 2020, the team advised on more than $430 billion in completed transaction volume.

About William Blair

William Blair is the premier global boutique with expertise in investment banking, investment management, and private wealth management. We provide advisory services, strategies, and solutions to meet our clients’ evolving needs. As an independent and employee-owned firm, together with our strategic partners, we operate in more than 20 offices worldwide.*

*Includes strategic partnerships with Allier Capital, BDA Partners, and Poalim Capital Markets.