Overview
Paulo Mendes is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ Miami and São Paulo offices and a member of the CEO & Board of Directors, Private Equity, and Family Office practices. He has extensive experience in leadership, business transformation, and cross-border operations, making him a trusted advisor in the private equity and venture capital ecosystem.
Experience
Paulo works with clients across the Fortune 500, private equity and venture capital firms, their portfolio companies, and privately held or controlled organizations. He focuses on fast-moving consumer goods, durable products, and consumer services, including e-commerce and digital distribution. His work spans high-growth and disruptor companies as well as large, established organizations.
Before joining Heidrick & Struggles, Paulo worked as an operating partner at a private equity firm in São Paulo. He then launched his own consultancy focused on family businesses and PE-backed companies. It became the largest in Brazil in 2019, with 120 employees operating nationwide, and later sold it to Heidrick & Struggles. After the acquisition, Paulo became the firm’s president of the Latin America region.
Paulo is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) in both the São Paulo and Miami chapters and speaks English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Education
Harvard Business School, Owner/President Management Program (OPM)