Star Mountain Capital announced that William J. Kelly has joined the firm as a Senior Advisor. Kelly will support Star Mountain’s mission by contributing to investor relations, portfolio governance, educational initiatives, and thought leadership as Star Mountain continues building its presence across the alternative investments ecosystem.
Kelly brings more than four decades of executive leadership experience in asset management, financial governance, and professional education within the alternative investment industry.
“Bill is a respected voice in the industry with a career focused on raising standards and improving outcomes for investors,” said Brett Hickey, Founder & CEO of Star Mountain Capital. “His experience in growing mission-driven organizations and advancing best practices across the alternative investments space will bring meaningful insights to our firm and stakeholders.”
As the Founder and Managing Member of Educational Alpha, LLC, Kelly currently writes, speaks, and podcasts on investor education, transparency, and democratized access to differentiated risk premia. Through this platform, he remains a leading voice in shaping thought leadership and elevating standards across alternative investing.
From 2014 to 2024, Kelly served as CEO of the CAIA Association, the global professional body for the alternative investment industry. Under his leadership, CAIA significantly expanded its global reach while advocating for stronger fiduciary standards, educational rigor, and ethical conduct across the industry.
Earlier in his career, Kelly was the CEO of Boston Partners, a $107 billion AUM investment firm, and one of seven founding partners of its predecessor firm. Before its majority acquisition by Robeco Group (Rotterdam) in 2002, Boston Partners was a respected employee-owned firm with a disciplined approach to asset management. Mr. Kelly began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), earning his CPA designation (inactive).
He also currently serves as Chairman and Lead Independent Director of the Boston Partners Trust Company and as Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair of the Artisan Partners Funds, where he is designated as an SEC Audit Committee Financial Expert. Additionally, he sits on the Advisory Board Member of the Certified Investment Fund Director Institute (IOB Dublin), where he supports professional excellence among independent directors.
“Star Mountain is a mission-driven firm, built on values that mirror my own including integrity, education, and long-term alignment with stakeholders,” said Mr. Kelly. “I am excited to support the continued growth of this exceptional team and platform.”
Kelly earned a B.B.A. in Accounting from Iona University.