William F. Sharpe is the STANCO 25 Professor of Finance, Emeritus at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. He joined the Stanford faculty in 1970, having previously taught at the University of Washington and the University of California at Irvine. In 1996, he co-founded Financial Engines, a firm that provides investment management and advice for individuals in employer-sponsored retirement plans. He currently serves on its board.

He was one of the originators of the Capital Asset Pricing Model, developed the Sharpe Ratio for investment performance analysis, the binomial method for the valuation of options, the gradient method for asset allocation optimization, and returns-based style analysis for evaluating the style and performance of investment funds.