Morgan Stanley Smith Barney has appointed veteran employee Chris Van Aeken as head of International Wealth Management Products and Services, moving to London from Asia to take up the role.

In this role, Van Aeken will be responsible for defining and executing the wealth management products and services strategy in markets outside the US, including private banking, capital markets, managed investments and wealth planning.

"International wealth management represents an important growth opportunity where we are committing significant resources,” Michael Armstrong, Head of Capital Markets and International Wealth Management for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, said in a statement.

Van Aeken has worked at Morgan Stanley for 12 years, and has held a succession of leadership positions in wealth management, institutional securities, risk management, infrastructure, and strategy, serving most recently as Chief Operating Officer in Asia for Private Wealth Management.