Goldman Shows Bright Future for Banks, If Not for Bankers
While the move to automation is shrinking the workforce, it is likely to be a boon for shareholders.
The “Fourth Industrial Revolution” is already encroaching on trading and investment management.
Photographer: Chris Ware/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
The continuing debate about the future of banking since the 2008 financial crisis has intensified recently on reports that banks are cutting jobs and slashing pay. While the outlook for bankers is precarious, the same can’t be said for the banks.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has featured prominently in the chatter about cutbacks, and not just because of its preeminence among U.S. banks. As Bloomberg News reported on Monday, Goldman’s compensation per employee plummeted 61% from 2007 to 2018 after adjusting for wage growth during the period, the largest decline among 12 big U.S. and European banks Bloomberg analyzed. Apparently, few at Goldman were spared a pay cut. Chief Executive Officer David Solomon was paid $23 million last year, a third of what former CEO Lloyd Blankfein was paid in 2007.