Akinyemi T. Akiwowo is the Global Chief Operating Officer of Morgan Stanley’s Litigation Department, where he is responsible for the day-to day operations of the Litigation Department, including strategic planning, managing outside counsel relationships, Board reporting, resource allocation, and talent initiatives across the Department’s US and International offices. As part of his role, Aki is responsible for collaborating with other executives across the Firm to drive overall success and growth of the Litigation Department.
Prior to assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer, Aki was responsible for domestic and international institutional (sales, trading, investment banking, capital markets, data privacy, private equity, and investment management) civil litigation, regulatory enforcement actions, and internal investigations. His diverse experience includes defending the Firm in class action and antitrust litigation matters, as well as investigations by FINRA, the Department of Justice, the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission, and the Securities
and Exchange Commission.
Aki previously co-chaired Morgan Stanley’s Legal and Compliance Division Diversity and Inclusion Network, and is also a member of the Council of Urban Professionals Fellows Board. He also sits on the Morgan Stanley Legal and Compliance Division Diversity Steering Committee, and is a member of the Board of Trustees at Seton Hall Preparatory School, his high school alma mater.
Prior to Morgan Stanley, Aki was Principal Counsel in the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Organization (FINRA) where he managed a complex case load, as lead counsel, handling all aspects of investigations of member firms and associated individuals for violations of FINRA, NASD and NYSE rules and federal securities laws. Prior to FINRA Aki was in private practice in New Jersey, focusing on commercial and securities litigation.
Aki is a 2002 graduate of Loyola University in Maryland and a 2005 graduate of Seton Hall University School of
Law.
