New Morgan Stanley brokerage sales head reorganizes leadership

In a memo to the firm's wealth management division employees, O'Connor said a tour of the branches at the world's biggest brokerage convinced her that local managers need more power, resources and the ability to work more efficiently.

She is shrinking the company's three geographic divisions in the United States to two and trimming the regions that report to the division heads to eight from 12.

Bill McMahon and Rick Skae remain as Morgan Stanley's two division heads, running what are now known as the western and eastern divisions, respectively.

Douglas Kentfield, who had run the western division since the three-division structure was formed in July 2012, is leaving the firm "to pursue other opportunities," according to the memo that was sent to Reuters.

The four regional managers who are losing their positions - Jeff Adams, John Campbell, Kevin Forman and Matthew Maloney - "will explore new leadership roles" within the wealth management division.

"We wish all of them much success," O'Connor wrote in the memo.

The changes are effective at the end of May.

O'Connor and the executives who are losing their positions were not available to comment, a spokeswoman said.

(Reporting by Jed Horowitz; Editing by Jan Paschal)