Morgan Stanley recruits $388M advisor in latest grab

Morgan Stanley has recruited an advisor who managed $388 million while at UBS, according to a spokeswoman.

It’s the most recent hire for the wirehouse, which has said it would reduce recruiting efforts. Similar initiatives have been announced at UBS — which sparked the trend over a year ago — and Merrill Lynch.

These policy statements, however, haven’t completely frozen the hiring of top talent.

In this latest move, former UBS advisor Christine Carona in late July joined Morgan Stanley in Boston, where she now reports to branch manager Bill Drew.

• Going independent
• Career moves
• Regional BDs
• Recruiting
• Wirehouses
• Wirehouse advisors

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While at her prior firm, she generated more than $2 million in annual revenue, according to Morgan Stanley.

Carona had been with UBS since 2009, according to FINRA BrokerCheck records. Previously, she worked at Smith Barney for nearly a decade. She’s been in the business since starting her career at Merrill Lynch in 1986, per BrokerCheck.

Morgan Stanley recently reported that its brokerage force remained stable at 15,777 advisors, while client assets hit a record $2.24 trillion.

A UBS spokesman declined to comment on Carona's departure.

UBS, for its part, hasn’t completely refrained from recruiting new advisors either. The Swiss firm last announced new hires in July, when UBS brought over two RBC advisors who managed $290 million in client assets.