A Chicago-founded financial services firm providing wealth management, asset servicing, investment management, and banking solutions to individuals, families, and institutions worldwide.
The Northern Trust Company is a financial services firm founded in Chicago in 1889 by Byron Smith. It serves individuals, families, and institutions through four main lines of business: wealth management, asset servicing, investment management, and banking solutions. The firm reports $1.8 trillion in assets under management, more than 23,000 employees, and offices in over 20 locations worldwide.
Its wealth management practice focuses on clients with complex needs, including family offices navigating wealth transfer. Asset servicing supports institutional clients such as pension funds, while banking solutions cover treasury and corporate services. Investment management is offered to individuals, families, and institutions alike.
The company's stated founding principles - service, expertise, and integrity - remain the stated basis for its client relationships and decisions. It describes a working approach that combines stewardship with financial technology, applied across its wealth management, asset servicing, investment management, and banking businesses. A track record of 135 years underpins its position in the sector.
