The firm was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and Swiss Bank Corporation's successor, UBS still maintains a significant asset management business there with former executives of Brinson Partners.

Gary P. Brinson joined the trust department of First National Bank of Chicago as chief investment officer in 1979.

Through the 1980s, Brinson established himself as a pioneer in the development of the theory of asset allocation[3] Brinson pushed for allocation across stocks, bonds, cash, real estate, venture capital and other alternative asset classes using simple cost effective investment strategies.

[4] In 1989, Gary Brinson led a US$100 million management buyout of his firm from First Chicago Corporation, acquiring approximately 75% of the company with a large group of partners and investors.

It has major offices in Chicago, Frankfurt, Hartford, Hong Kong, London, New York, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Zurich.