Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency Fund

Fund manager head shot

Marcelo Assalin, CFA

Marcelo Assalin, CFA, partner, is the head of William Blair's emerging markets debt (EMD) team, on which he also serves as a portfolio manager. He is also a member of William Blair Investment Management›s leadership team. Before joining William Blair, Marcelo was head of EMD at NN Investment Partners, a role he began in 2015, and lead portfolio manager for blended debt portfolios. Previously, he was the lead portfolio manager for NNIP's local currency strategies. Before joining NNIP in 2013, Marcelo was a senior EMD portfolio manager and head of emerging market sovereign debt and local currency at ING IM USA (now Voya Financial). Before that, he worked in various capacities, including CIO from 2005 to 2008, at SulAmerica Investimentos. Marcelo began his career as a credit analyst at Bank Boston in Sao Paulo, covering Brazilian companies. 

Education: B.A., Business Administration & Accounting, University of São Paulo

Tenure with William Blair: Since 2020

Fund manager head shot

Lewis Jones, CFA, FRM

Lewis Jones, CFA, FRM, is a local currency portfolio manager on William Blair's emerging markets debt (EMD) team. He also researches Latin American local currency markets. Before joining William Blair, Lewis was the lead portfolio manager for EMD local currency strategies at NN Investment Partners; he also covered Latin America. Before joining NNIP in 2016, Lewis was an EMD portfolio manager at BNP Paribas Investment Partners and Fischer Francis Trees & Watts. Before that, Lewis held emerging markets fixed-income research and portfolio management roles at Rexiter Capital Management. 

Education: Bachelor of Commerce, University of Alberta School of Business

Tenure with William Blair: Since 2020