B. Chen Zhu
Chen is the head of Morrison Foerster’s Sanctions and Export Controls practice for Asia and leads the firm’s government and internal investigations in Greater China. Chen has extensive experience advising on U.S. economic sanctions, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), anti-money laundering, securities and accounting fraud, and related governance and corporate compliance issues.
Chen frequently advises Chinese, U.S., and European financial institutions on U.S. economic sanctions and export controls in the context of contentious enforcement matters involving OFAC and other U.S. regulators. He also frequently assists banks and corporates with setting up practical, risk-based sanctions and export controls compliance programs.
In addition, Chen has led numerous FCPA enforcement actions by U.S. regulators against some of the largest major life sciences, technology, and financial services companies over the past twenty years. He regularly counsels company boards and senior management on corporate investigations and compliance remediation.
His clients include major state-owned enterprises, multinational corporations, and executives from financial services, life sciences, technology, consumer retail, and hospitality sectors, with a particular focus on Greater China, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia.
Chen has been recognized as Up and Coming in Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (International Firms) by Chambers Greater China 2024 and as a Future Leader by Lexology Index Investigations 2019 – 2024. He is also recommended in China/Hong Kong for regulatory/compliance and dispute resolution: litigation by Legal 500 2022 – 2025 and for life sciences and healthcare by Legal 500 2024 – 2025.
Chen is a frequent presenter at legal conferences and client workshops relating to anti-corruption, economic sanctions, and white-collar enforcement.
Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, he worked in the Hong Kong and New York offices of a leading U.S. law firm.
Chen is a native speaker of English and Mandarin. He is a Registered Foreign Lawyer with the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Experience
A major Asian state-owned enterprise’s U.S. investigation
Represented a major Asian state-owned enterprise in a multi-year investigation by U.S. regulators into alleged sanctions and anti-money laundering issues.
A major global bank’s subsidiary’s alleged violations
Represented a European subsidiary of a major global bank in connection with alleged economic sanctions violations.
A multinational pharmaceutical company’s FCPA-related investigations
Represented a multinational pharmaceutical company on multi-year investigations by U.S. and Chinese authorities into FCPA issues in the company’s China operations.
A major U.S. pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturer’s internal investigations
Represented a major U.S. pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturer in various internal investigations relating to employees’ alleged bribery, embezzlement, collusion with business partners and corporate governance issues across Asia Pacific.
A global investment bank’s Asia operations’ investigation and responses to regulators
Represented a global investment bank’s Asia operations in conducting an investigation related to anti-corruption and internal controls issues and coordinating responses to multiple regulators in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
A leading global telecommunications company’s DOJ and SEC investigation
Represented a leading global telecommunications company in a multi-year investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Committee into bribery, embezzlement and accounting fraud issues in China.
A leading U.S. technology company’s controls enhancements
Represented a leading U.S. technology company in controls enhancements for procurement transactions and distributor relationships in high risk markets.
A major F&B company’s Southeast Asia operations’ FCPA internal investigations
Represented a major food & beverage company’s Southeast Asia operations in conducting multiple FCPA internal investigations and advising on controls enhancements and employee discipline.
Multiple global financial institutions’ U.S. investigations
Represented multiple global financial institutions investigated by U.S. authorities in relation to their hiring practices in Asia.
A Vietnamese TMT company’s pre-acquisition anti-corruption DD
Represented a Vietnamese company in the Telecommunications, Media and Technology sector in developing anti-corruption policies and procedures in preparation for acquisition by U.S. private equity investors.
A Chinese energy company’s founder and chairman’s criminal prosecution
Represented the founder and chairman of a Chinese energy company in defending a criminal prosecution in U.S. District Court on charges of bribery and export law violations.
A trader’s DOJ and CFTC investigations
Represented a trader at a major European bank in investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission into the bank’s alleged spoofing and other market manipulation activities.
Rankings
Ranked: China Corporate Investigations/Anti-Corruption (International Firms)
Chambers Greater China Region 2024-2025
Recommended: China: Life Sciences and Healthcare: Foreign Firms
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2024-2025
Recommended: Hong Kong: Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022-2025
Recommended: China: Dispute Resolution: Litigation: Foreign Firms
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022-2025
Recommended: China: Regulatory/Compliance: Foreign Firms
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022-2025
Recommended: Hong Kong: Regulatory: Anti-corruption and Compliance
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2022-2024
Listed as Future Leader
Who’s Who Legal Investigations 2019 - 2022