Jim Bertram is the Director of the Investment Banking Academy and the instructor for FIN 463 – Investment Banking.  Jim joined the faculty at the University of Illinois in 2021 after a 32-year career in the investment banking industry.  In 2006, he joined William Blair & Company, a leading global investment bank focused on emerging growth companies.  In 2009, Jim was made a Partner of the firm and was named the Head of the Consumer & Retail Group.  Prior to joining William Blair, Jim headed the Food & Beverage Investment Banking practice at Banc of America Securities.  During his investment banking career, Jim also worked for Deutsche Banc Securities, George K. Baum & Company and Salomon Brothers.  Over his career, Jim provided M&A and capital raising advisory services on a global basis to a broad array of public and private companies executing over 200 transactions.

Jim is a 1989 graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Finance and received a M.B.A. from the University of Illinois in 2021.