Christopher Leu is a Senior Financial Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, having joined the firm in 2012. He brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, focusing on helping clients develop personalized financial strategies to pursue their long-term goals. Christopher’s areas of expertise include divorce transition planning, executive compensation, institutional and corporate benefit services, institutional investment consulting, philanthropy, international wealth management, tax minimization, and small business strategies.
Before joining Merrill Lynch, Christopher was a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley from 2010 to 2012. He has held senior roles across banking and investment firms, including President and CEO of United Pacific Bank, President and Managing Director of Seyen Capital Markets, Inc., and Senior Credit Manager at HSBC Group responsible for Credit and Marketing in Southern California. Additionally, he served as Senior Advisor-Asia for Prime Income Asset Management, LLC, advising on cross-border investments between the US and China, and was President and Managing Director for Daystar Capital Partners, Inc., an international investment advisory firm.
Christopher holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and a Master of Science degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, where he also completed Ph.D. course work in International Political Economy. He maintains FINRA Series 7, 31, and 66 registrations and holds professional designations including CERTIFIED PLAN FIDUCIARY ADVISOR (CPFA), Personal Investment Advisor (PIA), and Retirement Benefits Consultant (RBC). He is fluent in English, Chinese, Mandarin, and Yue (Cantonese). Christopher is a member of professional organizations such as the Hong Kong Association of Southern California and World Vision International. His personal interests include antiquing, golfing, music, reading, running, table tennis, and traveling.