Mizuho Americas Expands Consumer Franchise with the addition of John Baumgartner as Senior Equity Research Analyst

NEW YORK, April 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mizuho Americas today announced the hiring of John Baumgartner, CFA, as Managing Director and Senior Consumer Equity Research Analyst covering the US food industry, including plant-based alternatives and healthy lifestyle companies. Baumgartner will be based in NY and is the latest addition to Mizuho’s global consumer franchise which includes Michael Dick, Managing Director, US Consumer/Retail Trading & Specialist Sales also based in NY, and Hiroshi Saji, Director, Equity Research and Toshio Takahashi, Director, Equity Research in Japan. Hiroshi Saji (ranked third in the 2021 Nikkei Veritas survey for Food, Beverages & Tobacco) covers Japanese food & beverage, retail and personal care, and Toshio Takahashi (ranked second in the 2021 Nikkei Veritas survey for Retail) covers Japanese retail. Baumgartner will report to Managing Director and Head of US Equity Research, Susan Gilbertson.

“Over a year into the coronavirus pandemic, consumers are more focused on healthier eating habits. As a result, plant-based eating has become more mainstream and companies are working on innovative ways to bring these types of products to market as soon as possible,” said Gilbertson. “Against this backdrop, we are excited to add John’s deep consumer industry expertise to expand our research coverage.”

Baumgartner joins Mizuho from Wells Fargo Securities where he served as Director of Equity Research for Food and Agribusiness. Prior to that, he was the Senior Equity Research Analyst for U.S. food at Telsey Advisory Group, and an Agriculture Strategist for Global Commodities Research at Goldman Sachs. Baumgartner holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, with Highest Honors, from Rutgers University.

Baumgartner is joined by Misa Batcheller, also from Wells Fargo Securities, where she served as an Equity Research Associate for consumer packaged food (CPG) and an Economic Research Analyst prior to that. Batcheller holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, from Wake Forest University.

About Mizuho Americas

Mizuho Americas is a leading provider of a broad range of financial services, including corporate and investment banking, lending, custody, treasury services, research and capital markets solutions. With professionals across the U.S., Canada, and Latin and South America, Mizuho Americas supports corporate clients, institutional investors, and public sector organizations by connecting local markets to a vast global network. To learn more about Mizuho Americas' business, values, and ethical commitments, and the entities it comprises, visit to /americas.​

Mizuho Americas is an integral part of the Japan-based Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: MFG). Mizuho Financial Group is one of the largest financial institutions in the world, offering comprehensive financial and strategic services through its subsidiaries. The group has approximately 900 offices and 60,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. As of December 31, 2020, its total assets were $2.1 trillion. Learn more about Mizuho Financial Group at ​.​​​

For inquiries, please contact:

Jim Gorman

Director, Media Relations, Mizuho Americas

Laura London

Vice President, Media Relations, Mizuho Americas

6