One To World’s Conversations with World Leaders program is a series of face-to-face meetings with CEOs, philanthropists, civic leaders, and other influential New Yorkers. They wish to engage Fulbright and international students in an exchange of ideas and life stories.
This October, we invite interested Fulbright and international students to meet David Heleniak, Retired–Former Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley; Former Senior Partner (CEO), Shearman & Sterling.
David Heleniak spent most of his career at New York law firm Shearman & Sterling (S&S), rising to be Senior Partner (CEO) in 2001. In 2005, Morgan Stanley asked him to be its Vice Chairman and a member of its Management Committee. He retired as Senior Advisor in 2018.
While at S&S, Heleniak focused on mergers and acquisitions and headed or co-headed its practice group for ten years. During that time, in addition to approximately $1 trillion of other transactions, he represented Sandoz and Citicorp in the creation of Novartis and Citigroup, the two largest mergers ever done at the time. Earlier in his career at S&S, Heleniak headed the firm’s Hong Kong office from 1981-84 and represented China in its first major transaction with the Western world, a joint venture with Occidental Petroleum.
From 1977-79, Heleniak served the Carter Administration in the Treasury Department, first as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Secretary and then as the Assistant General Counsel. Among numerous other matters, he negotiated “Carter Bonds” with the German and Swiss Central Banks, the first time the United States issued foreign currency denominated bonds publicly abroad.
Heleniak has been active in many not-for-profit organizations: in education, advisory boards at Michigan (LSA, Provost, African Studies Center, University Musical Society), the London School of Economics, Columbia Law School, Emory, and Tulane; in civic affairs, NYC Partnership and its Investment Fund; in bilateral associations, Chairman of the Counsel for the United States & Italy and of Japan Society of New York; in the arts, President of NYC Ballet and of the MacDowell Artists’ Colony; and in social service, Room to Grow (chairman), In Motion, and Legal Aid Society.
He received an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics (LSE) and J.D. from Columbia University. Heleniak is an honorary fellow of the LSE.
An instructor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire from 1969 to 1971, Mr. Heleniak has been active in education in a number of advisory capacities, including President Obama’s education policy committee during the 2008 election. As former U.S. Chairman of the Council for the United States and Italy, he worked to develop positive relations between these two countries, and through board membership and philanthropy to the New York City Partnership, the New York City Ballet, The Japan Society and other vital organizations, he brings a global view to local endeavors as well.
Mr. Heleniak received a BA from the University of Michigan, an MS in Economics from the London School of Economics, and a JD from Columbia Law School. In May 2010, Mr. Heleniak was honored at One To World’s annual Fulbright Awards Dinner.
Please fill out this application form to apply. You will receive an email from a staff member if you are accepted to attend. If you have already received a confirmation email, please RSVP below.
