Fox Business columnist Charlie Gasparino says this about Morgan Stanley's CEO James Gorman: "Without the more typical banker-trader-broker experience, some analysts worry whether Gorman thinks too much like a micro-managing technocrat, and not enough like a salesman, thus lacking the personal touch needed to run a company that makes its money selling investments to small investors, and finance advice to major corporations."

The jury is apparently out on Gorman, with investors and analysts getting a bit more restive as they sense a crucial year coming. The columnist terms the bank's performance "middling at best," despite a decent fourth quarter.

To address doubts and reinforce the idea that Gorman is the right person for the job, the bank's PR staff will undertake an aggressive media campaign. A story in Fortune is expected soon.

This is a good move, as some analysts out there are willing to anonymously pronounce "they're keeping John Mack around for good reason."

So, Morgan Stanley appears to be heading into a critical year. The PR team can make it better or worse. They do not want to make enemies with key columnists and analysts. The Citigroup dust-up with Mike Mayo did not serve it well.

For more:
- here's the column

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