Morgan Stanley star portfolio manager Hassan Elmasry's team will head out the door with him when he leaves to start his own firm in London, a source close to Morgan Stanley confirmed to The MFWire. Morgan Stanley is on the hunt for a team to run the funds and expects to assemble a new team by end-April.

Morgan Stanley spokeswoman Erica Platt declined to comment.

Michael Allison, Paras Dodhia, Jayson Vowles and John Kelly-Jones will join Elmasry in his new firm.

Elmasry's departure, though, will occur later than previously announced (see The MFWire, 02/27/09). Elmasry will leave on June 15, instead of end-April.

The impending departure of Elmasry's team members was first reported by Morningstar's Ryan Leggio in the Fund Times column.

Elmasry and his crew manage funds such as Van Kampen Global Franchise and its "clone" at Morgan Stanley, Van Kampen Global Value and its clone, and Van Kampen American Franchise.

Elmasry, who joined Morgan Stanley in 1995, is perhaps best-known for his efforts to spur changes at New York Times Co., as detailed in a March 2007 Wall Street Journal article. 

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