Christopher Ballard

Christopher Ballard, CFA, is a research analyst at POLEN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC, based in Boston, Massachusetts. In this role since 2020, he primarily focuses on the firm's U.S. Small Company Growth and Global SMID Company Growth strategies, working within a collaborative, research-driven team to analyze and recommend high-quality growth companies in the small- and mid-cap space. His responsibilities emphasize deep fundamental research, portfolio construction, long-term investment perspectives, and risk management with a focus on identifying durable, competitively advantaged businesses.

Ballard’s sector coverage includes a wide range of industries within the U.S. small-cap growth and global SMID (small-mid) company universe, with broad exposure to sectors such as Financials, Consumer Discretionary, and other high-growth segments. He takes a generalist approach within these asset classes, concentrating on companies demonstrating strong organic revenue growth, sustainable margins, robust returns on capital, and compelling ESG profiles.

Prior to joining Polen Capital, Ballard worked at Long Path Partners and Veritable, LP, where he specialized in manager research across U.S. and international public equities. He holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and an MBA with a specialization in Asset Management from Boston College. As a CFA charterholder and an active member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society Boston, Ballard is noted for his analytical rigor, disciplined investment approach, and contributions to advancing small- and mid-cap growth equity strategies.