Which is the real Goldman Sachs?

Goldman Sachs has risen to pre-eminence as a global securities house. It is a convincing first in Euromoney's ranking this month of the world's best investment banks. But the US firm has two faces. For its clients it is the vigilant, attentive, even enthralling provider of first-class services. For its rivals it is a mean and aggressive raptor of deals. Which picture is right?

“Goldman Sachs is a firm with a split personality,” says a senior Wall Street banker. “The side which the clients see is the smooth, polished Goldman, the bluest of blue-chip firms. What they never seem to see, but we often do, is the firm’s other side, which is aggressive, pushy and downright unpleasant to work with.”

Goldman is the last private partnership among the world’s leading investment banks. It is also the most consistently successful, or profitable, firm on Wall Street.

Thanks for your interest in Euromoney!
To unlock this article: