Morgan Stanley Announces Chief Executive Officer for Asia

Morgan Stanley Announces Chief Executive Officer for Asia

Feb 12 2008 | Hong Kong


Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) today announced the appointment of Owen Thomas as Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley Asia. Mr. Thomas has been serving as President of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) since December 2005. He takes up his new role at the end of the month, at which time he will relocate from New York to Hong Kong. Stephen Roach will continue in his role as Chairman, Morgan Stanley Asia.

A 20-year Morgan Stanley veteran, Owen Thomas ran the Firm’s real estate investing business from 1994 and was Head of Morgan Stanley Real Estate from 2000 to 2005. Mr. Thomas will remain on the Firm’s Global Management Committee.

John J. Mack, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley, said, “Owen has demonstrated the strategic vision and leadership skills necessary to manage and grow complex, multi-regional businesses. He helped build and run our world-class real estate franchise and, since 2005, contributed greatly to the improved performance of our asset management division, which has seen increasing revenues and assets under management.”

“Asia is a key growth opportunity for the Firm,” said Walid Chammah, Morgan Stanley’s Co- President. “We are confident that under Owen’s leadership our Asian franchise will continue to be a standout performer in the region.”

With Owen Thomas’s new appointment, Morgan Stanley announced that the Firm’s global MSIM business will be co-led by Stuart Bohart, Jay Mantz and Stephen Trevor. Mr. Mantz and Mr. Trevor will continue to co-head the Merchant Banking Group, which is comprised of Real Estate Investing, Private Equity and Infrastructure. Stuart Bohart will head all MSIM business outside of Merchant Banking.


Prior to his new role as Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Stanley Asia, Owen Thomas served as President of Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) from December 2005. Under his leadership (third quarter 2005 to fourth quarter 2007), global assets under management grew from US$428 billion to US$597 billion and MSIM net revenues grew from US$679 million to US$1.288 billion.

From 2000 to 2005 Mr. Thomas was Head of Morgan Stanley Real Estate, the Firm’s industryleading real estate investing and financial services franchise.

Mr. Thomas first joined Morgan Stanley in 1987. He began managing the real estate investing business in 1994, was named Managing Director in 1995 and was appointed Head of Morgan Stanley Real Estate in 2000. He is a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, Vice Chairman of the Pension Real Estate Association and a member of the Real Estate Roundtable. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School.