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Wei Christianson
孙玮
Born
Wei Sun

(1956-08-21) August 21, 1956 (age 67)
Beijing, China
NationalityAmerican
Alma materBeijing Language and Culture University
Amherst College (BA)
Columbia Law School (JD)
Occupation(s)CEO and Managing Director China; Co-CEO Asia Pacific, Morgan Stanley
SpouseJon Christianson
Children3
Wei Christianson
Simplified Chinese孙玮
Traditional Chinese孫瑋[1]

Wei Christianson (née Sun; born August 21, 1956) is a Chinese-American businesswoman and lawyer and former CEO of Morgan Stanley's China operations and Co-CEO of its Asia Pacific division.

Early life and education

Wei Sun Christianson was born on 21 August 1956 to a People's Liberation Army officer father and doctor mother as part of the Frontier Generation from China's Cultural Revolution. She grew up in Beijing as the youngest of four daughters.[2] She took the Gao Kao in 1978 and was accepted by the Beijing Language and Culture University, with the intention of learning English and working as a translator for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

Encouraged by her Columbia University professor Randle Edwards, Christianson applied to a dozen liberal arts colleges in the United States.[2] In 1983 she transferred to Amherst College and became its first student from mainland China to study in the United States following China's re-opening to the Western world in the early 1980s.[2] She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in political science in 1985.

She continued her studies in Columbia Law School, receiving her J.D. degree in international law in 1989, and meeting her future husband Jon Christianson.[2][3]

Career

Following Columbia Law School, Wei Christianson worked as an attorney in the New York offices of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.[4]

After moving to Hong Kong in 1992, she attained a position as Associate Director in the Corporate Finance Department at the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) where she was responsible for drafting the regulatory structure that would enable the companies of People's Republic of China to be listed outside China.[4]

Christianson joined Morgan Stanley in 1998, where she was an executive director, Beijing chief representative, and a senior team member of its Resources, Power and Transportation Group, where she met her mentor John Mack.[5][2] When Mack was ousted from Morgan Stanley in 2002, Christianson followed him to Credit Suisse First Boston, where he held positions as a managing director, chairman, and country manager.[6] After that, Christianson joined Citigroup as a managing director and chairman of China, Citigroup Global Markets (Asia) Ltd., where she was responsible for the securities and investment banking businesses in China.[5] Since returning to Morgan Stanley in 2006, she had been the chief executive officer for China.[7][8] Christianson has led initial public offerings of Sinopec, China Life, and SMIC, and oversaw the $4.2 billion acquisition of Gas Kazakhstan by CNPC.[9] Christianson retired from Morgan Stanley in 2022.[10]

Personal life

Christianson is married to American Jon L. Christianson, a retired former partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in its Corporate Department in Beijing.[11] They have three sons, Erik ('14), Neil ('17), and Nicholas ('19). She lives with her family in Beijing.[5]

References

  1. ^ Boey, Darren; Geiger, Keri (18 June 2017). "Sun sets on British FILTH in Hong Kong as China deals beckon". Taipei Times. Bloomberg News. p. 15. Retrieved 11 April 2022. - Note that the Chinese characters are specifically in the Taipei Times version.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Seligson, Hannah (29 October 2010). "Wheeler and Dealer". Forbes. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Wei Sun Christianson '85 Appointed to Board of Trustees". Amherst College News. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  4. ^ a b "The Estée Lauder Companies Elects Wei Sun Christianson to Its Board of Directors". Estee Lauder Companies. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  5. ^ a b c "Wei Christianson Morgan Stanley China CEO" (PDF). American Chamber of Commerce. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  6. ^ Leo, Jason (21 December 2007). "Morgan's Helping Hand in China". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Wei Sun Christianson". Design Museum. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  8. ^ Durmiak, Michael (1 December 2008). "The Top 25 Nonbank Women in Finance- #8 Wei Sun Christianson". American Banker. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Columbia Law School: Powers of Persuasion". Columbia Law School Alumni. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  10. ^ "Alumni Network | Morgan Stanley". morganstanley.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  11. ^ https://www.skadden.com/professionals/c/christianson-jon-l
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