Louis Mendes

Louis Mendes has over twenty-seven years of experience in global finance.  Louis is currently the Director of International Research and a Senior Portfolio Manager at Columbia Wanger Asset Management, an investment advisory subsidiary of ColumbiaThreadneedle Investments and advisor to the Acorn family of mutual funds.  Before joining Columbia Wanger Asset Management in 2001, Louis worked as a senior analyst at Merrill Lynch Asset Management. He was on the investment team headed by Dr. Tan Bhala that managed the Merrill Lynch Dragon Fund and Emerging Tigers Fund.  Prior to joining Merrill Lynch in 1993, Louis had spent several years in Asia, most notably as a guest English/Economics lecturer at Ningbo University in Ningbo, China in the academic year immediately following the TianAnMen Square uprising in June 1989.  Earlier experience include three years (1986-1989) at Bankers Trust Company in New York City where he completed its credit training program and then worked as a credit analyst and assistant portfolio manager in the Private Banking division.

Louis received his Master in International Management degree from the American Graduate School in International Management (Thunderbird) in 1993 and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Columbia University in 1986.  Louis is a Member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and a Board Member of the Institute for Business & Professional Ethics (IBPE) at Depaul University.  Louis is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).