William McLean

William H. McLean is an endowment investment professional in the United States with more than four decades of experience managing institutional portfolios for universities and foundations. A Chartered Financial Analyst, McLean earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Davidson College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His career demonstrates a commitment to the responsible stewardship of institutional assets and the ability to generate long-term, sustainable investment returns.

McLean began his career in endowment management with roles at major institutions. Prior to his tenure at Northwestern University, he served as senior managing director for asset and investment management at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago and as an investment officer for The Duke Endowment in Charlotte, North Carolina. These positions provided experience in asset allocation, manager selection, and the challenges facing nonprofit investment offices.

McLean served as vice president and chief investment officer of Northwestern University's endowment, overseeing its growth from approximately $3.3 billion to $10.9 billion. During his leadership, the endowment contributed nearly $5.3 billion to the university's operating budget. His performance was recognized by Institutional Investor, which named him a Top Large Endowment Investor. Under his direction, the fund achieved a ten-year return of 9.4 percent, compared with 8.3 percent for endowments with more than $1 billion in assets, as tracked by the annual Nacubo-Commonfund Study of Endowments.

With 42 years of industry experience, McLean joined Spider Management as president and chief investment officer, directing firm strategy and overseeing operations, compliance, and investor relations. He previously served on the University of Richmond's Board of Trustees, the university's investment committee, and Spider Management's Board of Managers, including as chair.

McLean has also contributed to the nonprofit investment community as a board member of The Sherman Fairchild Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, and has served on investment advisory committees for Father Flanagan's Trust Fund, the NCAA, Davidson College, Mather Lifeways, and the Mayo Clinic. He is a past president of the North Carolina Society of Financial Analysts and a former board member of the Investment Analysts Society of Chicago. McLean's governance experience spans higher education, healthcare, and philanthropy, providing expertise in institutional investing, endowment strategy, and the stewardship of mission-driven organizations.