A former top Morgan Stanley official is coming back to the firm, after a two-year stint at the State Department under Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Morgan Stanley announced on Tuesday that Thomas R. Nides, who served as its chief operating officer until early 2011, woulf return as a vice chairman. In that role, he will have wide-ranging responsibilities covering clients and external and government affairs.
Mr. Nides will report to James P. Gorman, Morgan Stanley’s chairman and chief executive, and will work with the heads of Morgan Stanley’s core securities and wealth management businesses, Colm Kelleher and Gregory Fleming.
“We are excited to have Tm rejoin the management team, this time focusing on the firm’s clients,†Mr. Gorman said in a statement. “His deep experience over the past 25 years in government and financial services uniquely qualifies him to deliver the full capabilities of Morgan Stanley to our current and prospective clients globally.
The homecoming will be Mr. Nides’ first stop from Washington, where he served as deputy secretary of state for management and resources, focused on internal operations for the agency.
He had previously worked at Morgan Stanley for five years, joining when his boss at Credit Suisse, John J. Mack, returned to lead the firm. Mr. Nides served as one of Mr. ! Mack’s top lieutenants and helped to steer the investment bank through the financial crisis.
And earlier in Mr. Nides’ career, he worked as the chief executive of Burson-Marsteller, the public relations firm.
But politics had been the starting point of his career: He has been chief of staff for Senator Joseph I. Lieberman during the 2000 presidential campaign, aide to former House speaker Thomas Foley and chief of staff for Mickey Kantor, the former United States trade representative.
