best groups at morgan stanley
(Senior Chimp, 24
Points)
on 12/11/06 at 8:32am
looking to ms for maybe a summer internship. I know the bank as a whole is very competitive with the M&A group the hardest to get into. I am curious what are some of the top industry groups at MS?
I am pretty flexible to media, industrials, consumer, technology, sponsors, energy. Could anyone rank them and how do they compare to the top groups at other banks (ML MA, JPM MA or top industry groups in the area) thanks so much.





MS is top-notch is almost
MS is top-notch is almost all groups. The only places I would consider taking over MS are GS, Blackstone M&A (if I was purely concerned with exit opps), Lazard, and Greenhill. If you want to go to a bulge bracket, MS is second only to GS (generally speaking, depends on group though). M&A, Media & Telecom, Energy, and Technology are all great groups. There really isn't a bad group to be in at MS though. As MS is more of an M&A focused bank, stick with the industry groups and avoid capital markets (the big commercial banks like Citi and JPM dominate in capital markets). The commercial banks do more sponsors work than MS, but MS Sponsors still places much better into PE, I guess because of the prestige factor.
thanks for the insight
would you take a MS NY offer in say consumer over a GS SF/LA offer in TMT, industrials, FIG, RE?
From everyone Ive talked to, it sounds like NY is the best/ideal place to start a career in banking...and feel like the prestige diff between MS and GS isnt great enough to justify to move to sf/la albiet tmt is gs' top group?
any opinions?
Re: thanks for the insight
would you take a MS NY offer in say consumer over a GS SF/LA offer in TMT, industrials, FIG, RE?
From everyone Ive talked to, it sounds like NY is the best/ideal place to start a career in banking...and feel like the prestige diff between MS and GS isnt great enough to justify to move to sf/la albiet tmt is gs' top group?
any opinions?
I'd take GS TMT (SF) over most MS coverage groups.
GS SF/LA
Not to hijack the thread, but what groups specifically are housed in the SF and LA offices?
tech is their best industry
tech is their best industry group.
their industrials group is not top 3 on the street.
GS SF --> Tech GS LA -->
GS SF --> Tech
GS LA --> More of a focus on media.
this is at morgan stanley? I
this is at morgan stanley? I thought their industrial practice is decent...even if it is not top three, would you pick it over a higher ranked group (goldman aside).
it feels like choosing college again. Some decide for the overall name while some decide based on the specific program...it seems like there is no right or wrong decision from that standpoint. is that right? i think exit opps are clearly the most important thing for me.
Re: GS SF --> TechGS LA -->
GS SF --> Tech
GS LA --> More of a focus on media.
Both top notch? Is SF just tech or TMT?
Re: this is at morgan stanley? I
this is at morgan stanley? I thought their industrial practice is decent...even if it is not top three, would you pick it over a higher ranked group (goldman aside).
it feels like choosing college again. Some decide for the overall name while some decide based on the specific program...it seems like there is no right or wrong decision from that standpoint. is that right? i think exit opps are clearly the most important thing for me.
yeah, I was talking about MS...they don't really compare to GS, CS, or UBS in terms of the industrial group.
only people who aren't in banking care about the "overall name." everyone in banking (and everyone in PE/HF) knows that the group you belong to is much more important than the bank.
i would recommend going to the bank that is best for what you want to do(if you want to do industrials, go to CS rather than MS). the only caveat to this is that you only know which group you are placed in after you have already accepted an offer(and you may not get the group you wanted).
GS SF is alot better than GS LA
For deals and exit opps.
GS SF TMT
1 is going to KKR
2 are going to SLP
1 is going to Elevation
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If I'm not concerned with
If I'm not concerned with going to a mega fund (with the exception of Elevation - have they done anything big lately?), and I actually do have an interest in media (would like to do something in media & entertainment post-MBA), are exits to PE good in LA? Or is it not even close?
GameTheory
are you talking about MS/GS LA? if you want media in LA go to UBS.
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Yes, GS LA.
UBS is done hiring and so is CS. I'm a lateral.
GS LA
Not that good from an exit point of view into the buyside. Seems like most of their analysts do a third year in NY or International. Few place well into big funds, although I have heard of one making it into Silverlake.
ubs industrials
is weak. i dont know what you guys are talking about. most of the people i know there left earlier this year. a lot of their senior personnel left as well.
i do know gs and cs are solid in the area htough.
ubs gig in NY is a sweatshop
mike is correct