Type “Bjarne Stroustrup” into Google Search and his many achievements pop up. Stroustrup is the father of C++, one of the most popular and influential programming languages ever created and the building block for everything from mobile operating systems and virtual reality to the code used to drive the Mars rover and, yes, the Google search engine. C++ is everywhere: an unseen foundation of most of our computerized gadgets and systems.

He has received numerous professional honors for his work on C++ and on programming in general. An especially prestigious accolade came in 2018, when Stroustrup won the U.S. National Academy of Engineering 's highest award: The Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering, given each year to an engineer credited with technological developments that have transformed modern life. That award is sometimes referred to as "The Nobel Prize for engineering." More recently, he was the recipient of the IEEE Computer Society's Computer Pioneer Award, which recognizes a major contribution of lasting value to the computer industry. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and serves as a visiting professor at Columbia University.

Stroustrup joined Morgan Stanley in 2014 in part because he was impressed by the firm’s reputation for engineering and reliability. “During Hurricane Sandy [in 2012], Morgan Stanley never stopped trading,” he cites as an example, “which means that we have impressive infrastructure and impressive engineers.” Stroustrup is a Managing Director in the Technology Division and a Technical fellow, the highest designation of technical excellence at Morgan Stanley. Stroustrup shares his insights on The Invisible Engine of Everything in this Morgan Stanley Minute.