Qiao Peng: Pioneering Compliance & Legal Strategy For Sustainable Business Growth In China

The compliance function has moved beyond mere paperwork and checking boxes, to becoming a business imperative. With globalization driving businesses into new markets and regulators tightening oversight, compliance today defines not only how companies manage risk but also how they build credibility and earn trust.

Qiao Peng, Partner at R&P China Lawyers, is a prominent figure in this area. Over the years, she has gained insights from diverse experiences in prosecution and international compliance. Additionally, she is skilled in formulating workable solutions that balance between the interests of the company and the law. This practical approach has earned her the trust of domestic and foreign companies in China.

Qiao began her career as a public prosecutor in Guangdong, dealing with tough criminal cases with suspicion and precision, skills which still serve her well to counsel others. She then explored conflict resolution, gaining a full view through arbitration and litigation.

Compliance was the most crucial step for her. As AstraZeneca's Senior Director of Global Compliance Investigations, Qiao was tasked with conducting complex global investigations and relied on a blend of legal expertise and cultural awareness.

At R&P, she helps businesses navigate regulatory issues with integrity and a commitment to long-term success.

Every experience is a piece of life’s PUZZLE, SO ACTIVELY seek out missing pieces, embrace challenges and these transitions will lead you to greater heights

What key experiences shaped your passion for compliance and your leadership journey?

My father trained me in piano from a young age, instilling persistence that shaped my studies and career. I also inherited his passion for life and music, which continues to influence me.

Law was not a deliberate choice but a natural progression. I began as a prosecutor, later moving into dispute resolution and compliance. Five years as a public prosecutor deeply shaped me, and my career eventually steered toward compliance.

At JunHe Law Offices, I sought exposure to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), but opportunities were limited. Determined, I switched to a UK magic circle law firm Simmons & Simmons while six months pregnant with my second child. There, I built expertise in compliance investigations, though direct regulator engagement remained rare.

After three and a half years, I joined AstraZeneca as Senior Director of Global Compliance Investigations, where I finally gained hands-on experience in international compliance enforcement. This role broadened my perspective to corporate strategy, cross-cultural collaboration, and female leadership.

Introduce R&P China Lawyers and your role as Partner.

R&P China Lawyers is still a relatively young and dynamic law firm, but in 15 years it has grown into a highly respected name in its field. We focus strongly on quality of service and are known as a typical inbound firm, with most of our clients being international companies operating in China. In recent years, I’ve also expanded our practice to serve large Chinese companies as they increasingly need legal services for global business, making our work more outbound as well.

My personal focus is compliance—supporting multinational corporations and major Chinese enterprises in internal and external investigations, setting up internal control systems, managing complex risk, and handling government interactions both within and outside China. I also represent clients in disputes involving government bodies, shareholders, and other critical stakeholders.

With China’s evolving legal landscape, what are your key focus areas for company growth?

We’ve seen China grow from a fast-developing nation to one of the world’s largest economies. The business environment, however, has never been more competitive, often pushing companies toward aggressive growth strategies that come with significant risks. For example, many of my clients in the pharmaceutical industry face intense regulatory pressure in China, as well as in the U.S.

Having served as a global senior investigator for so many years, I understand these challenges deeply. My role is to help clients balance their growth targets with compliance risks. It’s not a simple black-and-white matter, companies must achieve their KPIs while managing complex risks, and without proper guidance, things can easily go wrong. That’s where the true value of our support lies, and it’s what makes my work so engaging.

What milestones and values shape your career?

I began as a public prosecutor in Guangdong, learning law, government operations, and the value of relationships. After an LL.M. in the U.S., I worked at King & Wood and JunHe, supporting multinationals and realizing clients need advisors who understand people, culture, and business.

At Simmons & Simmons, I focused on compliance and major investigations, later honing global risk management skills as a senior leader at AstraZeneca. At 40, I pursued my dream, leaving AstraZeneca to join R&P China Lawyers as a partner to build its compliance practice. Today, I draw on my legal, international, and compliance experience to serve clients—grateful for a challenging but rewarding journey.

I believe self-awareness evolves in a spiral. Understanding yourself and the world is a dynamic process. My core value is to seek experiences, embrace challenges, and never limit my imagination. Continuous growth comes from this mindset. I encourage others to follow their values, explore, and take risks—experience reveals passion and strengths.

My key takeaway: every experience is a piece of life’s puzzle. Identify missing pieces and actively fill them.

How do you see China’s legal advisory landscape evolving, and which trends are key?

China’s economy is slowing, and many local lawyers face challenges, yet compliance remains crucial. International companies in China and Chinese life sciences firms expanding globally must navigate complex compliance issues.

While AI will change the industry, core legal work such as relying on judgment, understanding, and communication, cannot be easily replaced. Even during COVID, I stayed busy, as clients needed advisors who could integrate compliance, risk management, and business strategy.

I see myself less as a traditional lawyer and more as a problem solver, offering solutions that blend legal expertise with business insight and strategic foresight. This is also how my partners at R&P China Lawyers approach the business, covering other practice areas such as corporate & commercial, employment, and dispute resolution. Today, companies seek lawyers as partners and advisors, and professionals like us are increasingly in demand.

Qiao Peng, Partner, R&P China Lawyers

Qiao Peng is a Partner at R&P China Lawyers, with over a decade of cross-disciplinary experience in prosecution, private practice, and global compliance leadership. Qiao started her professional journey as a public prosecutor in Guangdong, working on complicated criminal cases with finesse, before transitioning to dispute resolution and compliance, both inhouse and in private practice.