Morgan Stanley Event: Women Shaping the Economy

Impact of Covid-19 on the Economy

Link to Event Recording

Speakers:

• Ellen Zentner, Managing Director, Chief U.S. Economist
• Melissa James, Vice Chairman, Head of Global Capital Markets
• Cheri Mowery, Managing Director, Head of Healthcare Banking
• Cheryl Geremia, Managing Director, Global Head of Operational Risk

Overview: The session provided insights from some of Morgan Stanley’s top women leaders into the near term and long term effects of the global pandemic on the markets and global economy, as well as new trends that could emerge.

Key Insights:

• Working at Home – 
  • Blurred lines between “office/work space” and “home space”.
  • Related spending shifts with eating at home, home improvement projects, and more.
  • The stigma is removed for “working at home” as from the CEO level down for many companies that was the requirement. This flexibility is a hope for many to carry on post-pandemic.
  • Challenge to employers is “working from home” is a very different experience person to person and they need to be mindful and respectful each scenario.
• Healthcare Industry POV – 
  • Previous pressures to get vaccine in place are now pivoting to widespread vaccine distribution.
  • Increased need for virtual care and virtual consumer tools.
  • Starting to see an uptick with M&As.
  • A tremendous amount of capital was allocated and increased innovation across the spectrum in terms of virtual care.
  • In the near future there will be a complete change in the consumer digital healthcare marketplace, with better management of our own care and financial obligations.
• Impact of COVID on Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) – 
  • Accelerated focus on this space, especially with the breadth of risk people now need to manage.
  • Social considerations became a business risk and opportunities that needed to be managed by companies.
  • Increase in Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and Worker Health & Safety.
• Trends – 
  • Work from home was 15% pre-COVID and rose to as high as 52% in the worst of COVID (from US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
  • Effects from COVID accelerated existing trends. As examples: Increase in food delivery services, increase in streaming services, and movie theatre footprint shrinking.

• Long Term Events –

  • Acceleration of the shift in care from hospitals to facilities-based care in the home (virtually or physicians coming to the home).
  • Trend to increasing access, both broadening and expanding, the amounts of the population covered under health insurance.
  • Massive shift of healthcare companies recognizing the need to upgrade their technology infrastructure and create digital tools for consumers to access and manage their own health and financial well-being.
  • Companies have a responsibility to give back to society.
  • Younger generation are more open to talking about their mental health issues and open to getting help.