Image of Will Barden

Will Barden

Partner
Boston

Will Barden

Partner

About

Will Barden is a Partner at Grant Thornton Stax in our Boston office. He brings nearly 20 years of experience advising private equity and corporate clients on commercial due diligence, growth strategies, and exit planning. His career spans strategy consulting, private equity advisory, and investment banking. 


As co-leader of Grant Thornton Stax’s exit planning and sell-side practice, Will oversees the firm’s investment banking relationships, actively managing and fostering senior-level connections with investment banks worldwide. In addition to cultivating partnerships with investment bankers, private equity sponsors, and management teams, Will leads a diverse range of client engagements, including commercial due diligence, sell-side projects, and strategy development. His expertise spans commercial engagements within software, education, business services, and industrial services, enabling him to deliver impactful insights across diverse industries. 


Prior to joining Grant Thornton Stax, Will worked in strategy consulting at EY-Parthenon and at Liberty Mutual. Will started his career in investment banking at William Blair.


Will holds an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University.​​

Extracurricular

Beyond work, Will cherishes every moment spent with his wife and four children, who keep him busy. In his limited free time, he indulges in activities like tennis, golf, writing books, and passionately supporting his beloved Chicago Cubs. 

Will Barden Named Among The Consulting Report’s Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025
By Will Barden December 11, 2025
Will Barden, Partner, has been named among "The Consulting Report's" Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025. Click here to read more about the award.
Grant Thornton Stax Provides Sell-Side Support to SteelEye on its Merger With FundApps​
November 3, 2025
Grant Thornton Stax supported SteelEye, a leading trade and communications surveillance and data analytics platform, on its recent merger with FundApps. Read about the deal here.
Show More
Image of Will Barden

Will Barden

Partner
Boston

About

Will Barden is a Partner at Grant Thornton | Stax in our Boston office. He brings nearly 20 years of experience advising private equity and corporate clients on commercial due diligence, growth strategies, and exit planning. His career spans strategy consulting, private equity advisory, and investment banking. 


As co-leader of Grant Thornton | Stax’s exit planning and sell-side practice, Will oversees the firm’s investment banking relationships, actively managing and fostering senior-level connections with investment banks worldwide. In addition to cultivating partnerships with investment bankers, private equity sponsors, and management teams, Will leads a diverse range of client engagements, including commercial due diligence, sell-side projects, and strategy development. His expertise spans commercial engagements within software, education, business services, and industrial services, enabling him to deliver impactful insights across diverse industries. 


Prior to joining Grant Thornton Stax, Will worked in strategy consulting at EY-Parthenon and at Liberty Mutual. Will started his career in investment banking at William Blair.


Will holds an M.B.A. from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a B.A. in Economics from Northwestern University.​​

Extracurricular

Beyond work, Will cherishes every moment spent with his wife and four children, who keep him busy. In his limited free time, he indulges in activities like tennis, golf, writing books, and passionately supporting his beloved Chicago Cubs. 

Will Barden Named Among The Consulting Report’s Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025
By Will Barden December 11, 2025
Will Barden, Partner, has been named among "The Consulting Report's" Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025. Click here to read more about the award.
Grant Thornton Stax Provides Sell-Side Support to SteelEye on its Merger With FundApps​
November 3, 2025
Grant Thornton Stax supported SteelEye, a leading trade and communications surveillance and data analytics platform, on its recent merger with FundApps. Read about the deal here.
Show More