Boutique investment bank William Blair has increased its European headcount by 45% this year as the US-headquartered firm capitalises on the surge in mergers.

The investment bank, which focuses on mid-market deals worth between $500-600m in Europe, now has 170 employees across the region — 110 of which are dealmakers. This is an increase of 45% since the end of 2020, and it plans more senior hires, according to Anurag Sharma, its head of investment banking in the region.