Christianson has been closely involved in steering the bank during a time when US relations with mainland China have been difficult at times. Morgan Stanley set up a securities JV in China a decade ago.

The top female executive at Morgan Stanley in Asia, Wei Sun Christianson, will retire from the bank at the end of 2021 after two decades at the US bank the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing an internal memo.

Christianson has been Morgan Stanley’s China CEO since 2006 and its Asia-Pacific co-chief executive since 2011. She recently told the firm of her decision to retire, and will remain as an advisory director providing Morgan Stanley and its clients with insights about China, the report said.

The WSJ said the bank confirmed the memo’s contents. The bank does not intend to appoint a new China CEO.

Gokul Laroia, the other Asia-Pacific co-CEO, has spent 26 years at the bank and will become the sole CEO of the region, which includes Australia but excludes Japan.