Li Song

Li Song is managing director of SVB’s Asia Link, which promotes cross-border business solutions for entrepreneurs and investors in both China and the US. Based in the Bay Area, Li and his team identify and crystallize opportunities across the three largest innovation ecosystems (China, the US and Europe); their toolbox includes proprietary industry research, data-backed insights, value-added advice and tailored financial solutions. Li is passionate about putting his clients front and center — he thrives on identifying their unique challenges and connecting with his network around the globe to solve them.

Clearly, this intricate work requires not only someone who understands what it takes to excel at doing business in China, but who is also a long-time SVB insider with a deep understanding of all the ways the organization helps innovators move forward. As a native of China who has served SVB since 2000, Li’s got this! He first joined the bank as a portfolio manager and later served as director of SVB Analytics before leading the bank’s Global Credit team. Most recently, he served as senior advisor in the Trade Finance practice; in this role, he advised clients on complex international trade finance tools and strategies, growing the annual revenue for his book of business from $1 million to $7 million within six years — growth that attests to the tangible value that Li delivers to his clients.

Prior to joining SVB, Li was a global business liaison at the China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC), an influential cabinet-level organization in China designated to set trade policy. Li also served as a global trade advisor for former Chinese president Jiang Zemin and former Prime Minister Li Peng on overseas state visits from 1994 to 1999. During this time, Li personally attended meetings with former US president Bill Clinton and more than 10 other state leaders from the Asia-Pacific region. Li holds a bachelor’s degree in English and business from Nankai University, Tianjin, China, and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He has also earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

A longtime resident of Palo Alto, Li constantly looks for ways to serve the Chinese community in his city and the Bay Area in his spare time. He attends and organizes events that help new immigrants better assimilate in the US and native-born Americans better understand China. He is also a devoted volunteer for junior golf development for minority youth in the Bay Area.