Nicholas Borst

Nicholas Borst is Vice President and Director of China Research at Seafarer Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based investment adviser focused on emerging markets. In this capacity, he leads research on Chinese financial markets, economic policy, and the broader investment landscape, providing key insights that inform the firm’s investment strategies in China and other emerging economies. His coverage encompasses the Chinese equity and financial sectors, with a particular emphasis on regulatory reform, investment flows, financial liberalization, and the intersection of state and private sector dynamics.

Prior to joining Seafarer in 2018, Mr. Borst served as a Senior China Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, where he covered financial and economic developments in Greater China. Earlier in his career, he held research and analyst roles at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the World Bank, building notable expertise in the analysis of China’s shadow banking system, state-owned enterprises, and overseas investment projects.

Mr. Borst holds a master’s degree in International Economics and China Studies from Johns Hopkins SAIS, a graduate certificate from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center, and a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Arizona. A CFA charterholder, he is recognized for his publications on Chinese economic reform, frequent appearances in major financial media, and contributions to policy discussions—including testimony before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission and authorship of "The Bird and the Cage: China’s Economic Contradictions" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025).