Adams Street Partners

Adams Street Partners was founded in 1972 as the growth equity division of First National Bank of Chicago, then known as First Chicago Investment Advisors. In 1989, CEO Gary P. Brinson led a $100 million management buyout of the division, spinning it out as Brinson Partners. The firm was later acquired by Swiss Bank Corporation in 1994, which subsequently merged with Union Bank of Switzerland in 1998 to form UBS.

In 2000, Brinson Partners formed Adams Street Partners to navigate bank-related regulatory restrictions regarding the ownership of non-banking companies. The firm officially spun out as an independent entity on January 1, 2001. By May 2008, Adams Street Partners became fully employee-owned after acquiring UBS's remaining minority stake.

The firm is recognized as one of the world's largest fund of funds managers and has significantly expanded its direct investment capabilities. In 2014, it acquired a minority stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland's private equity unit, and in 2016, it launched dedicated venture capital and private credit businesses. As of 2024, it continues to rank among the top global private equity firms by size.