Vivian Lin Thurston is a portfolio manager for William Blair’s emerging markets growth, China a-shares growth, China growth and emerging markets ex China growth strategies. Prior to her current role, Thurston was a global equity research analyst covering the China a-shares market and large-cap consumer companies. She was also the vice-president and consumer sector head at Calamos Investments and an executive director and senior investment analyst at UBS Global Asset Management/Brinson Partners. Thurston previously held roles at Mesirow Financial, China Agribusiness Development Trust and Investment Corporation and Vanke. She’s the founder and chairman of the board of the Chinese Finance Association of America, a non-profit organization. Thurston received a bachelor of laws degree in sociology from Peking University and a master of arts in sociology and master of science in finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.