Stephen Orlins

Stephen A. Orlins (born 1950) has been president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations since May 1, 2005.[1] Prior to this, Orlins was the managing director of The Carlyle Group Asia, one of Asia’s largest (USD 750M) private equity funds. He was also chairman of Taiwan Broadband Communications (TBC) and senior advisor to AEA Investors Inc., a New York based leveraged buyout firm, with responsibility for AEA’s business activities throughout Asia.

From 1983 to 1991, Orlins was with the investment banking firm of Lehman Brothers where he was a Managing Director from 1985 to 1991. From 1987 to 1990, he served as President of Lehman Brothers Asia. Based in Hong Kong, he supervised over 150 professionals with offices in Hong Kong, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Manila and Singapore. Earlier in his career, Orlins practiced law with Coudert Brothers and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York, Hong Kong, and Beijing.[2]

From 1976 to 1979, Orlins served in the Office of the Legal Advisor of the United States Department of State, first in the Office of the Assistant Legal Advisor for Political-Military Affairs and then for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. While in that office, he was a member of the legal team that helped establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.[3]

Orlins speaks Mandarin Chinese, is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and in 1992 was the Democratic nominee for the United States Congress in New York's Third Congressional District. He graduated from Harvard College in 1972 and Harvard Law School in 1976.