M
Mesirow
Corporate · Founded 1937 · Chicago, United States
Independent, boutique asset management firm based in london with an office in hong kong;
Who Mesirow is.
Where the institution came from, whose capital it manages, and how that capital is allocated — from Dealroom's LP research.
Historical Background
- Mesirow was established in 1937 by Norman Mesirow in Chicago, Illinois.
- The firm is a privately held, 100% employee-owned entity, with all voting shares held by its employees.
- In 2022, Natalie Brown was appointed as the sixth CEO, becoming the first woman to lead the company in its history.
Source of Capital
- Mesirow provides investment solutions to a diverse client base that includes public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, and high-net-worth individuals.
- The firm's capital is derived from its advisory and investment management services offered to both institutional and retail clients.
Major Events
- In January 2025, MetLife Investment Management entered into an agreement to acquire three of Mesirow's investment teams focusing on high yield and bank loans, strategic fixed income, and small-cap equity.
- Mesirow acquired Bastion Management, a specialty finance lender focused on asset-backed loans, in December 2024 to expand its private credit offerings.
- The firm sold its multi-manager hedge fund division, Mesirow Advanced Strategies, to Lighthouse Investment Partners.
- Mesirow expanded its wealth management capabilities through the acquisition of Front Barnett, a firm with $1.2 billion in assets under management.
Allocation Strategy
- The firm's investment activities are structured across three primary divisions: Global Investment Management, Capital Markets and Investment Banking, and Advisory Services.
- Mesirow engages in both alternative and traditional investment strategies, with a focus on private equity, real estate, and private credit.
- The private equity strategy targets high-quality funds through both primary investments and secondary market acquisitions to mitigate risk.
- The firm's real estate activities include a value-add fund series that invests in multifamily properties across the United States.
- mesirow.com/story
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki
- chicagotribune.com/1993
- mesirow.com/news
- theceomagazine.com/executive-interviews
- mesirow.com/capabilities
- privateequitylion.com/2024
- mesirow.com/home
- comparisonadviser.com/financial-advisors
- investmentnews.com/alternatives
- mesirow.com/news
- metlife.com/about-us
- institutionalinvestor.com/article
- wealthmanagement.com/ria-news
- costar.com/article
The funds Mesirow backs.
Mesirow is a limited partner in 53 funds. 11 of them place in the Power Law Investor Ranking, and the best-ranked are shown here.
How Mesirow’s fund book is spread.
The 53 funds Mesirow backs, by where the manager is headquartered and how many funds that manager has raised.
Where those managers are based
By fund headquarters.
- North America 4789%
- Europe 611%
- Rest of world 00%
United States 47 · United Kingdom 4 · Luxembourg 1 · Sweden 1
How established those managers are
Managers grouped by how many funds they have raised. 11 emerging (three funds or fewer), 29 established — across the 40 of 53 with a fund history on record.
The companies Mesirow backs directly.
Mesirow holds 1 company directly, separate from the funds it commits to as a limited partner.
How those direct holdings break down by headquarters country, sector, entry stage and current growth stage. "Stage entered" is the first priced round the investor joined, derived from the investor’s transaction history.
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USA1
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Engineering and Manufacturing Equipment1
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Series A1
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Mature1
Other LPs.
Other corporate and insurance LPs in the Power Law LP ranking, closest to Mesirow by combined power-law score — North America first, then the nearest worldwide.