Office address: 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282
Website: goldmansachs.com
Year established: 1869
Company type: financial services
Employees: 46,000+
Expertise: investment banking, asset management, wealth management, capital markets, M&A advisory, equities trading, fixed income, private equity, digital banking, transaction banking
Parent company: N/A
Key people: David Solomon (CEO), John Waldron (COO), Denis Coleman (CFO), John F.W. Rogers (EVP), Alex Golten (chief risk officer), Carey Halio (global treasurer), Sheara Fredman (chief accounting officer)
Financing status: corporation
Goldman Sachs is a global financial services firm based in New York. The company offers investment banking, asset management, wealth management, and digital banking, managing over $2 trillion in assets. With more than 46,000 employees, it is known for its top-rated expertise and strong client relationships.
Goldman Sachs traces its story back to 1869, when Marcus Goldman set up a small office in Lower Manhattan. He offered local merchants a new way to get credit by buying their promissory notes, which helped shape the commercial paper business.
By the late 1800s, the firm had become Goldman, Sachs & Co. It also joined the NYSE in 1896 and gained a reputation for financial innovation.
Over the twentieth century, Goldman Sachs expanded across the US and into Europe, building a strong investment banking business. The firm introduced the price-to-earnings ratio as a new way to value companies, which became an industry standard. In the 1930s, Sidney Weinberg led the firm through the Great Depression and helped it become a top player in underwriting and trading.
The firm kept growing by opening offices in London, Tokyo, and Zurich in the 1970s while also acquiring J. Aron & Company in 1981. In 1999, Goldman Sachs became a public company, trading on the NYSE under the ticker GS.
The 2000s brought new challenges, but the firm stayed strong. It moved into new headquarters at 200 West Street and launched major initiatives like 10,000 Women and 10,000 Small Businesses.
In recent years, the company has focused on technology and consumer banking, launching Marcus and partnering with Apple for the Apple Card. The firm has also committed to sustainability and diversity, with major investments in climate and inclusive growth.
In 2024, Goldman Sachs announced a $1 billion stake in T. Rowe Price, a leading asset management firm. The firm aimed to create new investment options for retirement clients and financial advisors through the partnership.
Goldman Sachs offers a wide range of financial products designed for institutional, corporate, and individual clients. Its solutions include:
These offerings are supported by advanced technology, global resources, and a strong focus on client service. Goldman Sachs also invests in sustainable finance and digital innovation to supplement its core products.
Goldman Sachs states that its culture is driven by teamwork and a focus on collective achievement. The company reports that collaboration and a sense of belonging are central to its approach. Its values are:
According to the company, employees have access to coaching, mentorship, and a range of benefits:
Goldman Sachs also welcomes over 2,600 new analysts and associates to more than 60 offices each summer. Students participate in programs and events that offer real-world business exposure and networking opportunities.
David Solomon is the chairperson and CEO of Goldman Sachs and chairs the board of directors. Before this, Solomon was president and COO, and earlier led investment banking and financing groups. He also chairs Hamilton College’s board and serves on boards for the Robin Hood Foundation, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Paley Center for Media.
The executive team at Goldman Sachs leads the firm’s strategy and daily operations:
Goldman Sachs’s leadership team focuses on strong performance and responsible management for clients, shareholders, and employees.
Goldman Sachs released a report showing family offices are investing heavily in men’s sports, with far less interest in women’s leagues. It found that family offices are about four times more likely to invest in men’s sports than in women’s. By tracking these trends and advising on large deals, the firm helps clients find new opportunities in the growing sports investment market.
Goldman Sachs Asset Management also released a study showing that alternative investments grow more popular as wealth increases, especially among millennials. The report shows 91 percent of $20 million households use alternatives, and millennials allocate 20 percent to them. The company continues to share these findings to guide clients and advisors on market trends and private investment opportunities.
Asset managers said they would favor access to more consistent data, while governments appeared to be split on how, if at all, MSRB should try to improve ESG reporting.
Charlie Scharf earned $24.5 million last year, up from $20.3 million for 2020.
Businesses and households have become increasingly concerned about avoiding 1970-style price shocks that crimp their spending power, which gives Fed Chair Jerome Powell the leeway to take a hawkish approach.
Recession odds in-line with 20%-35% implied by yield curve due to soaring oil prices and fallout from war in Ukraine.
The latest apps like WhatsApp and emailing platforms like Gmail are beginning to play an oversized role in adviser communications, a trend that could increase as more clients choose to communicate via their smartphones.
CEO James Gorman says the firm has seen relatively few departures in the wake of the pandemic. In contrast, he says the bank received about 500,000 job applications last year.
The SEC is probing Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and other firms over communications sent over unapproved electronic messaging channels.
Head of sustainable investing shares how the firm integrates ESG and works with companies to decarbonize.
In December, the SEC and CFTC imposed $200 million in fines on JPMorgan Chase over messaging apps.
Financial services companies recognize Black History Month, and DiversityQ has guidance for being a better ally.
Let’s honor Thorvald McGregor, Lilla St. John and other Black pioneers by encouraging and supporting their contemporary counterparts.
Companies ranging from established robo-advisers like Betterment to upstarts like the crypto-focused robo Domain Money have launched new products in recent weeks to help clients navigate the complex and often confusing world of digital assets.
The SEC and the Justice Department are looking at how bankers, including those at Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, work with hedge funds to carry out stock sales big enough to send prices tumbling.
The possibility of a war that could increase inflationary pressures or rate hikes from central banks that are more aggressive than expected are among the factors weighing on equities.
It’s a long-awaited moment for a generation of rising executives who’ve spent years missing out on the riches reaped by those before them.
