# Edson Mitchell
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{{Short description|American investment banker and executive}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Edson Mitchell
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1953|05|19}}
| birth_place = [Portland, Maine](/source/Portland%2C_Maine), US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|12|22|1953|05|19}}
| death_place = near [Rangeley, Maine](/source/Rangeley%2C_Maine), US[{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010109X00069&key=1&queryId=73d86724-f025-4a31-b1c2-abcaa5692199&pgno=8&pgsize=100|title=NTSB Identification: NYC01FA058|website=National Transportation Safety Board|accessdate=2 November 2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305195500/https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010109X00069&key=1&queryId=73d86724-f025-4a31-b1c2-abcaa5692199&pgno=8&pgsize=100|archivedate=5 March 2016}}]
| death_cause =
| other_names = Edson V. Mitchell
| education = MBA
| alma_mater = [Colby College](/source/Colby_College)
[Dartmouth](/source/Dartmouth_College)'s [Ames Tuck School](/source/Amos_Tuck_School)
| occupation = Investment banker, Executive
former CEO of [Deutsche Bank](/source/Deutsche_Bank)
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| spouse = Suzan James
| children = 5
}}
'''Edson Mitchell''' (May 19, 1953 – December 22, 2000) was an American [investment banker](/source/investment_banker) and executive. He served as the head of [Deutsche Bank](/source/Deutsche_Bank)'s global markets organization. During his tenure, he transformed the bank into a major and highly profitable player in trading bonds, securities and foreign currencies. Mitchell was one of the first two Americans to be appointed to the nine-member management board of [Deutsche Bank](/source/Deutsche_Bank).[{{cite news |last1=Crossman |first1=Alexander |title=A man who gambled on his vision |url=https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/a-man-who-gambled-on-his-vision-20010102 |publisher=[Financial News](/source/Financial_News) |date=January 2, 2001}}][{{cite news |last1=Deutsch |first1=Claudia H. |title=Edson Mitchell Dies at 47; Executive of Deutsche Bank |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/26/business/edson-mitchell-dies-at-47-executive-of-deutsche-bank.html |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |date=December 26, 2000}}] He was a descendant of [Swedish immigrants](/source/Swedish_immigrants).[{{cite news |author1=Nils Ole Oermann |author1-link=Nils Ole Oermann |title=Das Erbe nach dem Crash |url=http://www.zeit.de/2013/08/Deutsche-Bank-Edson-Mitchell |publisher=Zeit Online |date=February 14, 2013}}]
== Early life and education ==
Mitchell was born on May 19, 1953, in [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Maine), [Maine](/source/Maine) and raised in [South Portland](/source/South_Portland%2C_Maine) and [Auburn](/source/Auburn%2C_New_York). He went to [Edward Little High School](/source/Edward_Little_High_School) and later graduated with a degree in Economics from [Colby College](/source/Colby_College) in 1975. He received an MBA from [Dartmouth](/source/Dartmouth_College)'s [Amos Tuck School](/source/Amos_Tuck_School) in 1978.[{{cite news |author1-link=Paid Notice: Deaths MITCHELL, EDSON V. |title=Paid Notice: Deaths MITCHELL, EDSON V. |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/26/classified/paid-notice-deaths-mitchell-edson-v.html |work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |date=December 26, 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603054927/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/26/classified/paid-notice-deaths-mitchell-edson-v.html |archive-date=June 3, 2015}}]
== Career ==
Mitchell started his career in the banking industry in 1978, starting at [Bank of America](/source/Bank_of_America) in Chicago before moving to New York to join [Merrill Lynch](/source/Merrill_(company)) in 1980. In 1995, he was recruited by [Deutsche Bank](/source/Deutsche_Bank) to head its global markets organization in London. Under his leadership, the bank's global trading activities became highly profitable.[{{cite news |author=Erich Follath |url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-16914248.html |title=Karrieren: Der Hai und die Nadelstreifen |work=[Der Spiegel](/source/Der_Spiegel) |date=July 17, 2000|language=German}}]
In June 2000, Mitchell and his colleague, Michael Philipp, were appointed to Deutsche Bank's nine-member management board, making them the first two Americans to hold such positions.[{{cite news |title=Edson Mitchell: 1953, 2000 |url=https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b15134cv41p9qs/edson-mitchell-19532000 |publisher=[Institutional Investor](/source/Institutional_Investor_(magazine)) |date=January 1, 2001}}]
When Mitchell took over as chief executive officer of Deutsche Bank, the bank implemented several bold measures in investment banking, including the integration with London's [Morgan Grenfell](/source/Morgan%2C_Grenfell_%26_Co.) bank, divestment of corporate holdings, acquisition of top financial talent from competing banks and the purchase of US Bankers Trust in 1999. These strategic moves proved to be effective, positioning the bank as a major player in the financial sector.[{{cite news |last1=Luarca |first1=Kevin |title=Deutsche Bank's woes continue |url=https://www.theasianbanker.com/updates-and-articles/deutsche-banks-woes-continue |publisher=[The Asian Banker](/source/The_Asian_Banker) |date=April 30, 2018}}]
== Books ==
In 2013, ''Death of an Investment Banker: A Moral History of the Financial Industry'' was published by [Verlag Herder](/source/Verlag_Herder). It is written by [Nils Ole Oerman](/source/Nils_Ole_Oermann), based on the life of Edson Mitchell. Originally it was written in German.[{{cite news |author1=Jürgen Fitschen |author1-link=Jürgen Fitschen |title=Warum der Deutsche Bank Chef ins Kloster geht |url=https://www.handelsblatt.com/finanzen/banken-versicherungen/banken/juergen-fitschen-wuerden-sie-die-deutsche-bank-ihrem-nachbarn-empfehlen/9750176-2.html |publisher=[Handelsblatt](/source/Handelsblatt)}}]
* [Nils Ole Oermann](/source/Nils_Ole_Oermann): ''Death of an investment banker: a moral history of the financial industry.'' Verlag Herder, Freiburg 2013, ISBN 978-3-451-30676-1.
== Death ==
On December 22, 2000, Edson Mitchell died in a plane crash while flying from [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Maine), [Maine](/source/Maine) to his vacation home in [Rangeley, Maine](/source/Rangeley%2C_Maine). He was the sole passenger in the [Beech 200 aircraft](/source/Beechcraft_Super_King_Air), while the pilot, Stephen A. Bean, also died. He was 47 years old at the time of his death.[{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=William |title=Deutsche Bank's Edson Mitchell Dies in a Plane Crash in Maine |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB977680212293272175 |publisher=[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal) |date=December 26, 2000}}]
== Personal life ==
Edson Mitchell met his wife Suzan James, when they both were at [Edward Little High School](/source/Edward_Little_High_School). They got married on November 11, 1972. They had two sons and three daughters.