Our Culture

What you believe and what you value as an organization matters. Discover the DNA of our firm.

Our People

Get to know our teams and the stories of select staff members who share why they choose to work at Sands Capital.

News & Events

Read about some of the latest events, partnerships, and business highlights from Sands Capital.

Careers

At Sands Capital, we strive to hire exceptional talent who will live our values and support our efforts to deliver on our mission.

Sands Capital portfolio managers reflect on five powerful lessons they have learned while investing through past downturns.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a part of our everyday lives, making sure it’s transparent and unbiased has become a high priority for businesses, governments, and ordinary people. In this episode of What Matters Most, Scott Frederick, a Sands Capital managing partner, explains how software startup Credo AI is helping to keep AI models responsible. Join us as we look at how Credo AI aims to lead the way in this vital new field.

At Sands Capital we encourage our investment team to think in decades not quarters. Director of Research Michael Raab, CFA discusses how culture can support the visionary research needed to find businesses creating the future.

WEG is setting new standards for sustainability and innovation by focusing on energy efficiency and renewable solutions that deliver cutting-edge technologies to align with the needs of a rapidly changing world.

Philosophy & Approach

Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that, over time, stock prices will reflect the earnings power and growth of the underlying businesses.

Our latest annual report offers a comprehensive view of how we add value through active stewardship.

Public Equity

Our newest strategy takes an unconstrained approach to seeking the best growth businesses outside of the U.S.

Venture & Growth Equity

Sands Capital invests in innovative businesses across all stages of the growth spectrum

Brian A. Christiansen, CFA

Sr. Portfolio Manager
Research Analyst
Executive Managing Director

Joined Sands Capital

2006

Work Experience

Sands Capital (2021 - 2022)
Arlington, VA | Sr. Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst, Director of Stewardship, Executive Managing Director

Sands Capital (2018 - 2021)
Arlington, VA | Sr. Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst, Executive Managing Director

Sands Capital (2012 - 2017)
Arlington, VA | Portfolio Manager, Research Analyst

Sands Capital (2008 - 2012)
Arlington, VA | Research Analyst

Sands Capital (2006 - 2008)
Arlington, VA | Research Associate

Education

Yale University
MBA | School of Management (2009)
BA | Economics (2005)

Brian is a senior portfolio manager, research analyst, and executive managing director at Sands Capital. He joined Sands Capital in 2006 as a research associate, covering life sciences, after completing the first year of the MBA program at the Yale School of Management as a Silver Scholar. In 2008, Brian returned to complete the second year of the MBA program while continuing to work part time for Sands Capital. Following the completion of his MBA, he resumed working full time and rejoined as a research analyst, covering life sciences.

In 2011, Brian became a co-portfolio manager of the Emerging Markets Growth strategy. In 2017, he was promoted to senior portfolio manager, and he was named as a director on the executive management team, which provides strategic leadership across the firm, in 2018. He became a co-portfolio manager on the Global Growth strategy in 2020 and was named director of stewardship in 2021. He served in this role until 2023, when a senior analyst on the stewardship team succeeded him.

In addition to receiving an MBA from the Yale School of Management, Brian also received a BA in economics from Yale University. He is a CFA® charterholder.

Investment Strategy
Insights Gained from Past Downturns
Sands Capital portfolio managers reflect on five powerful lessons they have learned while investing through past downturns.
Investment Strategy
Riding India’s Digital Wave
Indian businesses that are able to seize the country’s increased digital and physical connectivity to find innovative and cost-effective ways to fill the unmet or evolving demands could find long runways for growth.
Investment Culture
Fostering Long-term Thinking
Executive Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager Brian Christiansen discusses the importance of candor, collaboration, and entrepreneurialism in creating a culture that promotes long-term thinking.

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