Investing in Her Power | Morgan Stanley Securities (China) CEO Qian Jing: Resilience is a belief in the goal

Qian Jing has been engaged in investment banking and leading the promotion of Chinese investment banking services for international financial institutions for over 26 years. She is currently the CEO of Morgan Stanley Securities, overseeing daily operations and business development.

Throughout her 26-year career in investment banking, she has led teams to dominate and promote numerous influential large-scale corporate financing and M&A projects in both domestic and international capital markets through cross-border collaboration.

Looking back on her career, Qian Jing said: “During my university years, I studied Business Administration at the National University of Singapore with a Singapore government scholarship. After graduation, I started my investment banking career at Credit Suisse First Boston. Later, I continued in investment banking at UBS in Hong Kong and Deutsche Bank, where I served as Co-Head of the Investment Banking Division in China. In 2014, I joined Morgan Stanley as Co-Head of Investment Banking for Morgan Stanley China in Hong Kong. In 2016, I was appointed CEO of Morgan Stanley Securities (China).”

“In my view, many important qualities and skills for career growth are actually unrelated to gender—they are universal. Based on my personal experience, three traits have profoundly shaped my career trajectory.”

Empathy: From Understanding to Connection

In a high-density collaborative environment like a brokerage firm, every day involves dealing with complex demands from clients, partners, and different teams. I gradually realized that what truly facilitates cooperation is often not logic or persuasion of pros and cons, but resonance of ideas and vision. Empathy allows me to see through superficial negotiations and touch on the core needs of others—when you can sense unspoken demands from all parties, balancing relationships is no longer about compromise but about creative connection.

Communication: Not a skill, but a willingness

Regarding communication, I believe women’s true advantage is not eloquence, but a greater willingness to “open up.” In fast-paced, high-pressure environments like investment banking, proactively initiating conversations and sharing feelings can often dissolve potential friction. In fact, maintaining long-term partnerships is never about perfect terms but about ongoing trust—and the starting point of trust is the sincerity of willingness to communicate.

Resilience: Not persistence, but faith

In the financial industry, often what drives projects forward is not physical strength but mental resilience. Resilience is not simply “toughing it out,” but believing that you can take one more step even when most people think it’s time to stop. It’s not stubbornness but a faith in your goals—that belief helps many difficult and lengthy processes ultimately lead to worthwhile results."

“Facing pressure, I think forcing oneself to be ‘emotionally stable’ is unrealistic and may even backfire. We need to acknowledge the existence of pressure and handle it appropriately—including self-regulation and moderate venting—so that emotions caused by stress do not affect your rhythm, judgment, or relationships with others. For me, this is an effective way to relieve pressure and manage emotions.”

Morgan Stanley supports women’s career development through initiatives in recruitment, promotion, training, and daily workplace environment:

“Currently, women make up over 60% of our total staff, and women in management positions account for over 50%.”

“In terms of talent development, Morgan Stanley Securities’ recruitment and promotion processes are bias-free, focusing on candidates’ abilities, experience, and performance. All decisions are based on merit. We believe it’s very important to eliminate stereotypes and focus on delivering results. We oppose any form of discrimination. Employees who have the skills and potential for growth can receive fair recognition and equal opportunities, allowing them to fully utilize their talents and achieve their career aspirations.”

“Morgan Stanley Securities has an internal employee organization called the ‘Women’s Business Alliance,’ which is a cross-departmental group for women and their allies. Its goal is to provide fair career opportunities and help members advance to senior leadership roles within the company and beyond. The organization continuously works to improve employee happiness, with particular attention to family-related needs, and also promotes company policies. We offer all employees up to four weeks of paid leave annually to care for seriously ill family members. We provide 16 weeks of parental leave for new parents, with an additional 10 weeks for mothers recovering postpartum. The company also offers counseling for new parents to help them transition back to work. For employees who need to breastfeed, we provide mother-and-baby rooms and breastfeeding breaks. All these measures aim to create a fair and equal working environment where every employee can thrive and realize their potential.”

“Morgan Stanley has policies and clear procedures to define, prevent, and handle workplace sexual harassment. The company also organizes ‘Workplace Dignity’ training to promote awareness of these policies, helping every employee, including women, understand their rights and responsibilities, and jointly build a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace.”

Advice for young women: “Research shows that women tend to wait until they feel ‘completely qualified’ before making substantial attempts at new opportunities. My advice is: don’t let ‘perfect preparation’ become a barrier to action. Maintaining an open and confident curiosity makes stepping out of your comfort zone a gradual habit rather than a difficult leap. When encountering new things, knowledge, or perspectives, approach them with an attitude of ‘absorption’—actively exploring and integrating. Every outward extension could be the start of your next journey.”