Robinson, who has spent the last seven years working on the chemical fertilisers and agribusiness sectors as co-head of basic materials within Morgan Stanley's natural resources group, will initially focus on large cap clients in those areas as well as in mining in his new role.
He will also oversee coverage of other natural resource, industrial and energy clients, including clean and alternative energy.
The vice-chairman title, which did not previously exist in Deutsche's industrials group, means that he will be totally focused on clients rather than managing operations and team development, according to a person familiar with the move.
Those responsibilities remain with John Anos, global co-head of industrials, to whom Robinson reports.
Among the larger deals that Robinson worked on in recent years was the $41bn merger of Agrium and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan to create Nutrien, which is listed on both the New York and Toronto stock exchanges. Robinson advised the boards of both Agrium and Potash Corp on the transaction, which closed at the beginning of 2018.
He joined Morgan Stanley in 1998 after working for four years at IBM in Toronto.
