Christina Gaw

Christina Gaw has spent more than 30 years in the finance industry. But how has Gaw Capital's managing principal and global head of capital markets managed to stay at the top of her game?

- Tara Sobti

How does your business make a difference?

Gaw Capital is a private equity real estate firm, and we’re in the fund management business. We are very focused on our company DNA: passion, responsibility and creativity—[what we call] PRC. This is the central focus. We use PRC to make a difference in our assets.

Was a career in finance always the goal?

No. I love children and wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. As I got older, I knew I wanted to be in the business of people. I studied hospitality management at the University of San Francisco, but I never worked in a hotel. After I graduated, I joined the finance industry right away. My first job was with Goldman Sachs, then UBS, and then Gaw Capital with my brothers [Goodwin and Kenneth, who founded the company].

Today, I’m a guest lecturer at universities such as the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Cambridge and Harvard—this fulfils my urge to teach younger students who are interested in our industry. The satisfaction of sharing what I know and how to balance a career and family is wonderful.

What do you put your success down to?

I’m a very empathetic person. I have the ability to establish trust with people quickly and easily. I also have a very focused and disciplined way of doing things. I have a determination to always do what is right, whether it relates to our investors, employees or external partners. I try to make a situation a win-win for everybody.