While raised in Portland, Oregon, Anthea Tjuanakis Cox’s upbringing was profoundly shaped by her father’s roots on the island of Crete, Greece. Her father, a former professional soccer player turned salesman, grew up in a small Greek village where physical labor was respected, excellence was expected, and grit was assumed—a mindset that he passed on to his daughters and later became the foundation for Anthea’s personal and professional ethos.
Anthea’s road to Morgan Stanley was far from traditional. She attended Stanford University, where she studied art history and American studies. After graduating, she dedicated herself to teaching art to low-income youth in Oakland, California, driven by her belief that education is a core pillar of social equity.
Anthea’s commitment to making a real difference and her desire to broaden her impact on people’s lives motivated her to pursue an MBA from Yale University in 2011. Shortly after, her career took a pivotal turn when she transitioned from arts education to strategy consulting at the Boston Consulting Group. Anthea later moved to Minted, the online design marketplace, and during her two-year executive stint, she leveraged her arts background with business strategy to drive results.
Although Anthea’s journey to Wall Street was nonlinear, she explains, “the thing that motivated me then and still motivates me now is working on things that fundamentally matter to people. This is especially important in a place where we have asymmetries of education and access, and that is money.”
This motivation led her to join Charles Schwab, where she managed both the client experience for the retail business and later led digital advice and planning. Her work at Schwab involved modernizing financial planning and developing a multichannel strategy that seamlessly connected the tools, technology and the experiences of clients and advisors.
In 2022, Anthea joined Morgan Stanley, drawn by the opportunity to elevate the Firm’s financial planning capabilities. As head of Financial Planning, she oversees an ecosystem that spans product, technology platforms, advisors, risk management, marketing and a national team of financial planning professionals. Her mission is to deliver intuitive and impactful financial planning experiences that meet clients where they are and help them improve their outcomes.
Central to Anthea’s success in this role is her distinctive leadership style, which is characterized by her commitment to empowering those around her. Anthea is intentional about setting a strategic vision, articulating goals, and ensuring that individuals understand how their roles contribute to the larger mission.
This mindset was significantly influenced by her early involvement in athletics. With her father coaching her and her sister, Anthea developed a deep appreciation for team sports, particularly lacrosse, which she continued to play in college. “I’m a team sport athlete in everything that I do,” she reflects. “You really can be greater than the sum of your parts.”
This belief in the power of collaboration and accountability has been a cornerstone of Anthea’s career and a driving force in her leadership role at Morgan Stanley.
Throughout her career, Anthea has remained committed to making a positive impact. She views financial planning as a tool for improving lives, akin to education in its importance for long-term success. “We help clients reduce stress and improve their quality of life,” she says. “That’s a rare and powerful kind of impact.”
To further that impact, in 2024, she partnered with the Foundation for Financial Planning to make it easier for Morgan Stanley’s Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) professionals to give back to underserved communities.
Anthea's approach to leadership and growth is rooted in self-awareness and reflection. She believes that moments of transition are opportunities for growth and that discomfort is a necessary part of the journey. Her advice to others is to understand their strengths, be honest about their blind spots and make space for reflection. All of this has led up to one of Anthea’s more recent accomplishments: being recognized as a Morgan Stanley MAKER for the Class of 2025. Anthea was celebrated as an innovator and advocate for women’s leadership.
Her path from the art room to Wall Street exemplifies her ability to navigate diverse fields while staying true to her values. As she continues to lead and inspire, Anthea Tjuanakis Cox remains a powerful force for change, driven by a passion for excellence and a commitment to making a meaningful impact.