As Morgan Stanley's co-CEO of Asia Pacific ex-Japan and member of the bank's global management committee, Wei Sun Christianson has helped drive strong revenue growth across the region in 2014 and so far this reported year.
Christianson is also CEO of China, which has enjoyed the region’s highest revenue growth over the past year.
Since becoming the firm’s China head in 2006, Christianson has coordinated with multiple domestic regulators to successfully build out Morgan Stanley’s China onshore businesses
Under Christianson’s leadership, Morgan Stanley has broadened its onshore footprint in China to include domestic securities and bond underwriting, commercial banking, asset management, trust services, and renminbi-denominated private equity investing.
Morgan Stanley also advised WH Group on its $7 billion acquisition of SMithfield Foods and Alibaba’s $25 billion New York listing. Morgan Stanley ranked fourth in Dealogic’s China M&A advisory ranking as of mid-June.
The mother of three is passionate about diversity and childcare.
Christianson spoke at the Summer Davos in 2013 to discuss female leadership and gender parity. She joined Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg in Beijing last September to discuss equality in the workplace. She also delivered the keynote speech at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on increasing women’s roles in decision-making. Since 2008, Christianson has been an active participant in the various annual volunteering programs at Beijing Children’s Hospital.
She serves on the board of Estee Lauder and is a member of the advisory committee of the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong, as well as a member of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s strategic planning committee.
FinanceAsia’s 2015 honour roll of the most influential women across the Asia Pacific region spans investment and commercial bankers.
Published as a feature in the July / August 2015 print edition of FinanceAsia, the series also presents leading women in new areas of finance such as fintech where Asian companies are among the fastest-growing in the world.
We also canvassed corporate financiers for exceptional women working in deal advisory including lawyers and accountants. In the process of researching the series, we found evidence of progress in creating more diverse workplaces in the region.
