Our Story
WMKI Group is an independent asset management firm offering bespoke investment strategies for long-term Partners. Our key competitive advantage comes from the fact that we are actually business owners and operators, which allows us to think and act in a differentiated manner.
We believe superior long-term investment results require broad, rational thought processes not beholden to traditional silos. Our approach is rooted in core value investing principle and we seek to align ourselves with businesses of like-minded managers and entrepreneurs. We approach every investment - private or public - with an owner-operator mindset, preferring to find opportunities to own high quality businesses for the long-term.
We treat our capital providers as true Partners. We fully invest side-by-side with our Partners in all WMKI strategies.
Our Team
William Knowles is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of WMKI Group. He has a unique background spanning both investments and operations for family office clientele. The duality of this experience offers a distinct advantage in evaluating investment opportunities through an owner-operator mindset.
William joined Maroone USA in early 2017 to help launch an automotive retail organization as well as assist the Principal with a broad range of investment opportunities. He serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Mike Maroone Automotive Group, which has grown to six franchises. William has responsibility for profitability, strategic initiatives, and talent acquisition/development of the retail operations and works on every level of acquisitions – from sourcing to underwriting and execution.
In addition to his responsibilities as COO of the Mike Maroone Automotive Group, William has assisted the broader family office capital with numerous investments, including real estate and private equity fund commitments, select public equities, and direct minority investments in private entities. William is also an Advisory Board Member for PEAL Capital Group, a private equity firm focused on North America, Western Europe, and the UK.
Prior to joining Maroone USA, William was an Investment Specialist for BMGI, the investment firm for Bill & Melinda Gates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. At BMGI, he was a generalist with an emphasis on value-based principles. With a focus on public equity investments, William’s investment coverage spanned numerous geographies, sectors and special situations with an emphasis on high quality corporate governance.
A native of Los Angeles, California, William graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a BA in Economics and MA in Finance. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation as well as an MBA from Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business.