I work in the firm’s asset management business, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, or MSIM. I oversee seven portfolio-management teams that invest capital on behalf of institutions and high-net-worth individuals. Additionally, I lead the distribution team for MSIM, which is responsible for our sales and marketing efforts. In both roles, I encounter a wide range of issues that impact our business each day, so one of my most important roles is prioritization and delegation—knowing what to focus on and what not to.

MSIM has always had very strong investment capabilities but historically we were not as strong at making sure the world knew about it. Over the last few years, we have enhanced our client outreach and focus on communicating the strength of our platform. We’re also bringing together the resources of the whole firm to advance the business. We have a very differentiated offering and we’re doing a better job of sharing that story with clients.

For the past year, we've had market-leading organic growth rates¹. The strong performance of our products is the starting point but having good performance alone won’t drive growth. To succeed on the capital raising front, we’ve had to focus holistically on how we serve clients – having strategies that address their needs, delivering returns, and identifying the ways we can add value beyond performance. Ultimately, our organic growth is the best scorecard for how we’re doing as a business.

Yes, I'm also on the advisory board of Teach for America New York, which finds young leaders committed to expanding educational access and opportunity by serving in under-resourced public schools. I believe everyone should have access to a quality education.  I know how meaningful my education was to me and the power it has to transform lives.  There are many challenges in our educational system, and TFA is helping find solutions.

In addition to having the right experience and skill set, I like to see a certain level of intensity and focus in candidates.  I believe that it's a privilege to work at Morgan Stanley and we all have a responsibility to deliver to our clients. One of the most important decisions our clients make is asking us to manage their capital for the long term. People who understand the responsibility that comes with that, who take their job seriously and bring an intense focus to it are the people who will be a good fit here.

I think people who interact with Morgan Stanley, either as clients, peers or other stakeholders, recognize the commitment to integrity at the firm. And I think that's incredibly valuable.