The TSC Streetside Chat: Bill Ford of General Atlantic Partners

William E. Ford, 38, is a general partner at General Atlantic Partners, one of the most respected and profitable venture capital firms in the U.S. General Atlantic, founded in 1980, has a $6 billion portfolio of about 80 public and private companies, including stakes in online broker E*Trade (EGRP Quote) and priceline.com (PCLN Quote), the well-known e-commerce company.

The firm has been fabulously successful; its $14.4 million investment in E*Trade garnered about $500 million, and its $30 million ventured in priceline.com is valued at about $1 billion. Based in Greenwich, Conn., the firm is in the midst of a growth spurt designed to transform it into a global player. It has recently added several new general partners and one huge limited partner, insurance giant American International Group (AIG Quote), which has committed $1 billion over five years to GA. AIG will aid GA's expansion in Asia.

Ford joined GA in 1991 from Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, where he was an investment banker specializing in technology. He chairs AG's investment committee, which currently has $4 billion of capital to invest in the next five years; he also sits on the boards of E*Trade and priceline.com. ...