As summer unfolds on Wall Street, interns and new bankers are embarking on their professional journeys, eager to make their mark in the finance industry. Recognizing the arduous path to success in this competitive field, Business Insider sat down with six partners at Goldman Sachs, a renowned investment bank, to gain insights into their rise to the top and gather advice for aspiring finance professionals.
Goldman Sachs, known for its top-ranked M&A advisory services, recently welcomed its latest cohort of junior bankers while its summer interns continue to learn the ropes, hoping to become future leaders in the industry. The road to partnership at Goldman Sachs is notoriously challenging, with only the highest-performing individuals making the cut. The bank’s partnership is considered one of the most exclusive clubs on Wall Street, offering special perks such as no-fee investment funds and the opportunity to steer the firm through exclusive committees or running lucrative business lines.
In a series of interviews, Business Insider spoke with partners such as Alison Mass, chairman of investment banking, Stephan Feldgoise, cohead of mergers and acquisitions, and others, to delve into their personal journeys and reflect on the changes and similarities within the bank over the years. These partners, who themselves started as first-year investment-banking analysts, offer valuable wisdom and guidance to the current crop of junior bankers who face new challenges, including the rise of artificial intelligence and a growing discomfort with the industry’s demanding work culture.
Reflecting on their early days at Goldman Sachs, the partners highlight the importance of collaboration and the long-standing relationships they have built within the firm. They emphasize the need to think like clients, provide honest advice, and go above and beyond to solve complex problems. The evolution of the M&A advisory business is also noted, with the partners highlighting how it has grown to become a central aspect of investment banking and institutional financial services.
While the partners acknowledge the changes in the industry, such as increased structure and larger scale, they also emphasize the strength of Goldman Sachs as a global firm with a Wall Street heritage. The partners express pride in being part of a company that has played a pivotal role in shaping the finance industry and has consistently been regarded as the gold standard in investment banking.