2009 Pinnacle Awardee
Managing Director and CEO
Morgan Stanley China
Based in Beijing, Ms. Christianson is responsible for the oversight and global coordination of all Morgan Stanley’s business activities in China and has been in this position since 2006. She is also a member of Morgan Stanley’s global management committee and Asia Pacific
Executive Committee.
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Ms. Christianson was Chairman of China for Citigroup Global Markets (Asia) Ltd. She has also served as Chairman of China and Country Manager for Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). She joined CSFB from Morgan Stanley where she had been an Executive Director and Beijing Chief Representative.
Ms. Christianson has advised on many landmark transactions in China, including the initial public offerings of China Life, Sinopec, SMIC, Chalco, Sinotrans, and China Oilfield Services. She has also led the execution of several significant M&A transactions involving
Chinese companies.
Prior to her joining Morgan Stanley in 1998, Ms. Christianson was an associate director of the Corporate Finance Department at the Hong Kong Securities and Finance Commission (SFC) and was instrumental in developing the regulatory framework for the public listing of Mainland Chinese securities in Hong Kong. She was previously an attorney in the New York office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
Ms. Christianson received her B.A. from Amherst College in 1985 and her J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1989 and is admitted to practice in the State of New York. In January 2006 she was awarded the prestigious Columbia Law School Medal of Excellence which is given
annually to two alumni who have distinguished themselves professionally. Prior recipients include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger.