‘Mistakes Are Never as Bad as We Think They Are’

Pamela Everett at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management says that knowing the real importance of an error takes time.

(Human error is what performance measurement and client reporting teams can never present to anyone. However, along the way, imperfections may emerge and they have to be rectified before they are ever shared externally or internally. The key to dealing with mistakes is to remember to get perspective on them — a bit of advice that Pamela Everett, executive director, client reporting at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, says she lives by. Everett suggests that after a mistake is uncovered to put a reminder on a calendar three months out. After time has passed, the importance of the mistake will become clear, which “will provide you needed perspective for when you make your next mistake,” she says. At PMCR 2026, Everett is participating in the “Generating the Right Commentary for the Right Reports,” and “Custom Reports Done Right: Quality Control That Scales” sessions.)

Professional Background/Expertise

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your role and what your day-to-day looks like at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management?

A: Me and my team sit in the Field Experience and Platform organization in Wealth Management and are responsible for driving solutions to best support the client reporting needs of the advisors we support and their clients.

On an average day, I will be spending time with my team to work through requirements for in-flight projects, discussing engagement and adoption of upcoming and recently released enhancements, collaborating with colleagues across the firm on strategic priorities and meeting with advisors to problem solve and gain insights.

Q: What’s a recent project or initiative your team has worked on that has made the biggest impact for your organization?

A: Our recent projects have been focused on the ultra-high net worth segment’s needs, which not only levels up our application but also reduces the need or desire for advisors to pursue third-party applications or customized reporting solutions, which reduces costs and risk.

Things like tax management reporting, expanded alts reporting and performance exclusions continue to elevate our application and make this type of reporting available to all of our advisors and their clients.

Q: What is your dream project?

A: Given the significant advances in technology over the last 10 years, I’d love to reimagine our reporting offering. Things I’d love to address include things like a more intuitive user interface, deep A.I. integration to not only highlight specific pages to include but specific customization features, and interactive dynamic digital presentation capabilities. The bottom line is we have an opportunity to help advisors improve their reporting and create scale so that all their clients receive meaningful analyses of their portfolios.

Session Insights

Q: What inspired you to participate in PMCR 2026 and join the "Generating the Right Commentary for the Right Reports," and "Custom Reports Done Right: Quality Control That Scales" sessions?

A: I was a speaker at last year’s event and came away feeling re-energized and excited about what I learned, who I met, and what’s ahead for all of us. This is a great event to bring the best of this industry niche together and share ideas and best practices. And while I may not be the most knowledgeable in the room on these topics, just having a forum and dedicated time to discuss these topics will move the needle for all of us.

Q: What do you think makes "Generating the Right Commentary for the Right Reports" and "Custom Reports Done Right: Quality Control That Scales" especially relevant for today’s investment operations landscape?

A: Technology is growing in leaps and bounds, more than we’ve ever seen before, and clients’ demands are growing as new markets, sectors, and products become more available, so that makes time our most valuable resource.

The ability to generate the right commentary and custom reports to meet client needs and do it efficiently and effectively is key to delivering meaningful portfolio analysis to clients for them and their advisors to gain insights and identify key next steps.

Industry Challenges & Trends

Q: What’s one of the biggest challenges your team or clients are facing right now? Can you fill us in on how you are approaching it?

A: Given the nature of client reporting, it tends to be in the middle of, or somehow impacted by, most strategic focus areas. My team is in high demand across a diverse set of wealth management strategic programs. A.I. is helping to make their day-to-day more efficient but we are also relying on age-old practices, such as stretching our up-and-coming talented team members with projects and reassessing often to see where we need to shift resources.

Q: How do you foresee technology —A.I., blockchains, digital assets, automation, data analytics, and so forth — reshaping your area of expertise over the next year or two? Are there any major shifts you are preparing for?

A: As I mentioned, A.I. is already impacting me and my team and I think will be the biggest disruptor and shaper in obvious ways, like how we do our day-to-day but also in ways I haven’t even imagined yet.

When you think about things like digital assets, automation, digital analytics, they become even more powerful with AI as an overlay to identify key insights and action-oriented feedback. Our job will be to integrate AI into our skillset and make it easy for Financial Advisors to take advantage of it for portfolio management and client reporting.

Q: Which technology has impressed you? Which technology has disappointed you?

A: Artificial intelligence and the potential of A.I., is very impressive, overwhelming, and exciting. How to use it, in a reliable and compliant way to gain insights and efficiencies and solve corner case problems, so that we don’t build solutions for one-off issues and save valuable manpower, are the things that most excite and interest me right now.

The PMCR Experience

Q: What are you most excited about learning at PMCR?

A: I’m really excited to hear how my counterparts are integrating A.I. and how firms are creating dynamic and interactive client reporting.

Q: What do you hope attendees walk away with after hearing your session?

A: You don’t have to be a market analyst to identify the right commentary to provide to clients.

Getting to Know You

Q: What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

A: I picked up running during Covid and have run three half-marathons since.

Q: What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received (or would share)?

A: Mistakes are never as bad as we think they are – when you make a mistake and have that awful pit in your stomach, put a reminder on your calendar for three months out and check-in with yourself. Chances are, it will feel much less important and will provide you needed perspective for when you make your next mistake.