James Gorman
James Gorman is Chairman Emeritus of Morgan Stanley and Chairman of The Walt Disney Company, where he chairs its Succession Planning Committee. He previously served as Chairman and CEO for more than a decade at Morgan Stanley, where he led the firm through strategic transformation, expanding its wealth and asset management businesses and positioning it as a global leader in investment banking and financial services. Gorman is a veteran Wall Street banker and a deeply respected executive with significant leadership experience at some of the world’s largest financial institutions. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, he held a succession of executive positions at Merrill Lynch, and was a Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company. Gorman formerly served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and President of the Federal Advisory Council to the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, among his many civic and not-for-profit boards.
CURRENT AFFILIATIONS
Chairman, The Walt Disney Company
Chair of the Board, Columbia Business School
Senior Advisor, General Atlantic
Gorman joined Morgan Stanley in February 2006 as Chief Operating Officer of the Global Wealth Management Group.
Prior to his current role, he served as CEO from 2010 to 2023, and Chairman from 2012 to 2023.
Gorman steered the firm in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and diversified its business away from just investment banking activities towards wealth management.
His leadership was marked by a significant shift in the company's strategy, focusing on wealth management, which ultimately drove robust growth and positioned Morgan Stanley as a leading player in this sector.
EARLY CAREER
Gorman joined Merrill Lynch in 1999 as Chief Marketing Officer, and also served as head of Strategy and Research. He also held the firm's U.S. and, subsequently, global private client business.
He was a Senior Partner of McKinsey & Company, where he was a member of the firm’s financial services practice.
He formerly served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, President of the Federal Advisory Council to the U.S. Federal Reserve Board, and Co- Chairman of the Partnership for New York City.
He also served as Chairman of the Board of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), Co-Chairman of the Business Committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as a member of the Financial Services Forum.
Throughout his career, he has been featured in numerous financial media outlets and publications, including Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Forbes, Bloomberg, Fortune, The New York Times, Business Insider, Barron's, CNBC, Fox Business, CNN, and many more.