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Hard Lessons

Morgan Stanley

A new series where iconic investors reveal the critical moments that have shaped who they are today.

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10 episodes
Avg 21 min
English

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#9
Tuesday · 25 min
Dan Ivascyn: Conviction Needs Capital
Dan Ivascyn, Group Chief Investment Officer at PIMCO, joined Morgan Stanley’s Co-President Dan Simkowitz for a deep dive on his experiences during the global financial crisis. He shared how an early underweight on mortgage-backed securities was the right call at the wrong time, and how he ultimately benefited from taking on risk as markets recovered. The preceding content was informational only and is not an offer nor a solicitation to purchase or sell any security, commodity, instrument, or fund or to participate in any investment or trading strategy. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley does not render advice on legal or tax and tax accounting matters to clients. Clients should always consult their own legal or tax advisor for information concerning their individual situation. Opinions expressed by third parties are solely their own. All opinions are subject to change without notice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley, all rights reserved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#8
August 27 · 20 min
Brad Jacobs: Question Deeply, Act Quickly
In this episode of Hard Lessons, the Chairman and CEO of QXO and founder of Jacobs Private Equity shares how he has achieved success in more than 500 mergers and acquisitions. Watch for his take on how 1+1 can equal 11, when to disrespect the org chart and when to stop selling and start doing. The preceding content was informational only and is not an offer nor a solicitation to purchase or sell any security, commodity, instrument, or fund or to participate in any investment or trading strategy. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley does not render advice on legal or tax and tax accounting matters to clients. Clients should always consult their own legal or tax advisor for information concerning their individual situation. Opinions expressed by third parties are solely their own. All opinions are subject to change without notice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley, all rights reserved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#7
July 13 · 22 min
Jean Eric Salata: Find the Comeback in the Setback
The EQT Group Chair joined Mo Assomull, Morgan Stanley Global Co-Head of Investment Banking, to discuss his journey from managing a small Asia fund to leading one of the world’s largest global private markets firms that today spans the U.S., Europe and Asia. He shared how seeing the world as an outsider gives him an advantage and the importance of finding the comeback after a setback. The preceding content was informational only and is not an offer nor a solicitation to purchase or sell any security, commodity, instrument, or fund or to participate in any investment or trading strategy. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley does not render advice on legal or tax and tax accounting matters to clients. Clients should always consult their own legal or tax advisor for information concerning their individual situation. Opinions expressed by third parties are solely their own. All opinions are subject to change without notice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley, all rights reserved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#6
June 18 · 11 min
Bonus: I Say Economy, You Say…with Stan Druckenmiller
Morgan Stanley’s Iliana Bouzali takes Stan Druckenmiller through a fast-paced word association game that reveals his off-the-cuff observations about the U.S. economy, crypto, humanoid robots, and the future of the dollar. Watch the full episode and save the Hard Lessons playlist for more pivotal choices from iconic investors. This episode was recorded on Jan. 30, 2026. The preceding content was informational only, based on information available when created, and is not intended to serve as individualized investment or financial advice. No portion should be construed as a recommendation or guidance. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Opinions expressed by the guest speaker are solely their own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation nor is it tax or legal advice. © 2026 Morgan Stanley CRC 5236998 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#5
April 9 · 24 min
Rick Rieder: The Market Doesn’t Care If You’re Right
BlackRock’s CIO of Global Fixed Income shares what he learned about investment sizing, liquidity and discipline by investing in breakthrough technologies and managing painful losses. He explains what drives long-term returns and why it’s critical to seek views outside the consensus. The preceding content was informational only and is not an offer nor a solicitation to purchase or sell any security, commodity, instrument, or fund or to participate in any investment or trading strategy. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley does not render advice on legal or tax and tax accounting matters to clients. Clients should always consult their own legal or tax advisor for information concerning their individual situation. Opinions expressed by third parties are solely their own. All opinions are subject to change without notice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley, all rights reserved. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#4
February 27 · 35 min
Stan Druckenmiller: Invest, Then Investigate
Legendary macro investor Stan Druckenmiller sits down with Iliana Bouzali, Global Head of Derivatives Distribution and Structuring at Morgan Stanley, to reflect on his early career and how he learned to act decisively and change course quickly when the facts on the ground shift. Druckenmiller, who currently manages his own capital at Duquesne Family Office, shares how he would construct a portfolio if he had to start over today, why contrarianism is overrated, and which stock he regrets selling too early. The preceding content was informational only, based on information available when created, and is not intended to serve as individualized investment or financial advice. No portion should be construed as a recommendation or guidance. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Opinions expressed by the guest speaker are solely their own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation nor is it tax or legal advice. © 2026 Morgan Stanley CRC 5236998 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#3
February 19 · 24 min
Lauren Hochfelder: Predict How People Will Live Tomorrow
In this episode of Morgan Stanley’s Hard Lessons, Lauren Hochfelder, Global Head of Real Assets at Morgan Stanley, speaks with Chief Client Officer Mandell Crawley about her out-of-consensus calls and the lessons learned from those transformative convictions. Tune in to hear her revisit an industrial real estate call that got ahead of e-commerce trends, and an investment that led to a hard rethink of office space that led to a well-timed portfolio pivot. She explains why pockets of dislocation are more important than location in choosing real estate investments aligned to the future. The preceding content was informational only and based on information available when created. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation nor is it tax or legal advice. The views and opinions and/or analysis expressed are those of the presenters as of the date of preparation of this video and are subject to change at any time without notice due to market or economic conditions and may not necessarily come to pass. ©2026 Morgan Stanley CRC 5122803 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#2
February 12 · 22 min
Jean Hynes: Dig Deep and Hold Your Position
Wellington Management CEO Jean Hynes joins Amy Ellis, Morgan Stanley’s Global Head of Senior Relationship Management, for a candid look at the pivotal investment calls that defined Jean’s career as an analyst and portfolio manager in biotech. One of those calls delivered outsized long‑term value, and while the other that tested her conviction when the stock fell 90% overnight. From navigating patent cliffs to dissecting drug pipelines, Hynes shares what it really takes to separate the signal from the noise in one complex corner of the market. She also reflects on the leadership lessons that guided her path to CEO and how she’s positioning Wellington for the future. Disclosures: The proceeding/preceding content is/was informational only and based on information available when created. Opinions expressed by the guest speaker are solely their own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation nor is it tax or legal advice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley CRC 5135092 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#1
February 3 · 22 min
Jon Gray: Stay Calm, Stay Positive, Never Give Up
In the first episode of Morgan Stanley’s new Hard Lessons series featuring iconic investors, Blackstone President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Gray sits down with Morgan Stanley Co‑President Dan Simkowitz to unpack two out‑of‑consensus calls that shaped his perspective. Gray takes viewers behind the scenes on Blackstone’s decision to buy Hilton Hotels, sharing how his conviction in the strength of the business and its leadership turned a challenging situation into one of the most successful private equity deals in history. He also recalls a hard-won lesson about navigating hype cycles, and explains how the dotcom bubble can teach us about investing in AI. Disclosures: The proceeding/preceding content is/was informational only and based on information available when created. Opinions expressed by the guest speaker are solely their own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. All opinions are subject to change without notice. Neither the information provided nor any opinion expressed constitutes an offer or a solicitation nor is it tax or legal advice. ©2026 Morgan Stanley CRC 5159913 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
January 29 · 1 min
Introducing Hard Lessons
Iconic investors sit down with Morgan Stanley leaders to go behind the scenes on the critical moments – both successes and setbacks – that shaped who they are today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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