John Song, Managing Director

Role at Baird

John Song is a Managing Director in Baird’s Global Investment Banking Group and Co-Head of the Baird Defense & Government Investment Banking practice. View our recent Defense & Government transactions.

Professional Experience & Education

With over two decades of industry experience, he advises industry-leading companies on M&As, corporate divestitures, financing and other corporate strategies. He has extensive experience working with companies that operate in a broad range of defense and government technology domains including electronic warfare, advanced weapon systems, space, cyber and digital transformation, among other market segments.

John’s transaction experience includes sell-side advisory, buy-side advisory and leveraged buy-outs for founder-owned businesses, private equity-owned companies and U.S. and international corporate divestitures. He has worked with some of the industry’s leading companies including Leidos, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Booz Allen Hamilton. He has closed transactions with private equity institutions including The Carlyle Group, Bain Capital and Arlington Capital Partners. Under his leadership, Baird’s Defense & Government team executed 52 transactions valued at $26 billion since 2022.

Prior to joining Baird, John was at Houlihan Lokey, where he was a senior banker. Prior to that, he spent several years working in structured finance at firms such as Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank and Bankers Trust.

John holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree from Boston University.

Outside the Office

He serves as the Secretary of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.