Frank Hawke - Main Interview (Peking University)

China Hands

Frank Hawke was amongst the first American exchange students to China, after which he had a long and distinguished career in banking, finance, and consultancy in Asia. More recently, he was the previous Director of the China Program for the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Prior to his exchange with Peking University in 1979, Frank completed his BA in Economics and MA in Political Science at Stanford University and was a PhD candidate in Chinese Politics. After his exchange, Frank closed various landmark deals in China, such as the Great Wall Hotel - China’s first joint venture - and the Beijing Jeep Corporation. In the latter, he was engaged in some of the first US-China technology transfers. He worked for Citibank from 1988 to 1994, managing businesses in the PRC and Taiwan, and he headed a team that re-established Citibank in Vietnam. Frank's wide range of positions further include from 1994 to 1997 being the Head of Investment Banking for Salomon Brothers China.
Frank also played a key role in not just inspiring me but making the introductions needed to establish this podcast - preserving the oral history of US-China academic relations would not have been possible without his help.