UBS and Morgan Stanley Experience Advisor Team Changes

UBS recently lost an advisor team to Morgan Stanley, while simultaneously acquiring a new team from Merrill Lynch. These moves highlight the competitive nature of the financial services industry.

Loss to Morgan Stanley

A team of advisors, including Araya Mesfin, Michael Grace, Michael Johnson, Tyler Cerone, and Ronnie Brown, made the switch from UBS to Morgan Stanley on January 18. This team is based in Atlanta and specializes in providing financial services to professional athletes, ultra-wealthy families, individuals, and business owners.

Araya Mesfin previously worked at Morgan Stanley from 2004 to 2014, before joining UBS. However, Mesfin's former colleagues Peter Ritten, Donn Walter Sant, and Mary Lucy Reid have chosen to remain loyal to UBS.

The spokesperson from UBS declined to comment on this matter, while a representative from Morgan Stanley confirmed the addition of the new advisors to their team.

Gain from Merrill Lynch

In a counter-move, UBS managed to attract the GKB & Associates team from Merrill Lynch in New York. The team, which consists of Joseph J. Guarneri, Steven Kabot, Stefani Bollag, Daniel Russo, and Conor Heine, boasts a client asset portfolio worth almost $2 billion. They mainly serve high-net-worth individuals and families.

Interestingly, all members of this team began their careers at Merrill Lynch. Joseph J. Guarneri, for instance, joined Merrill in 1985 after graduating from St. John's University with a degree in political science and accounting.

According to BrokerCheck, the GKB & Associates team transitioned to UBS on January 12.