Ryan Johnson
About Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson is a Director at Brookfield Asset Management in Chicago, Illinois, with extensive experience in portfolio management and credit analysis.
Current Role at Brookfield Asset Management
Ryan Johnson serves as a Director at Brookfield Asset Management in Chicago, Illinois. In his role, he is responsible for managing fixed income assets, which primarily serve institutional clients such as pension funds, corporations, and municipalities. Johnson represents Brookfield Asset Management at industry conferences and participates in sector-specific panels. His expertise extends into analyzing investment potential for both investment-grade and high-yield corporate bond issuers across multiple industrial sectors.
Previous Experience at Mesirow Financial
Prior to his current role, Ryan Johnson worked at Mesirow Financial for 17 years, rising to the position of Managing Director - Portfolio Manager and Senior Credit Analyst. During his tenure, he played a key role in growing assets under management from $1.2 billion to over $5.0 billion through business development, new product offerings, and client meetings. He was also responsible for formulating investment recommendations based on industry expert opinions, macroeconomic analyses, and independent fundamental research.
Education and Academic Background
Ryan Johnson holds an MBA in Analytical Finance from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, obtained between 2007 and 2010. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of San Diego, where he studied from 1996 to 2000. Additionally, Johnson spent 11 months in 1998 studying at the Universidad de Sevilla. He completed his high school education at Gig Harbor High School.
Industry Specialization
Ryan Johnson specializes in managing issuers in three key industrial sectors: Energy (Producers, Servicers, Drillers, Refiners, Pipelines, and Major Integrated companies), Basic Materials (Metals & Mining, Forest Products, and Chemicals), and Diversified Manufacturing. His role involves meticulous analysis of investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds to assess their investment potential for institutional clients.
Early Career Roles
Ryan Johnson’s early career included positions as a Credit Analyst at Stein Roe Investment Counsel and Stein Roe & Farnham from 2000 to 2004. He also worked as a Structured Products Trader at Columbia Management from 2004 to 2005. Additionally, he had an internship at Nicholas Applegate from 1998 to 2000. These roles provided Johnson with a strong foundation in credit analysis and trading, setting the stage for his subsequent leadership positions.