Latest Interviews
Showing 16–30 of 31 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Goldman Sachs13 min
Big, Bold, Strategic Moves: The 2021 M&A Outlook
Stephan Feldgoise, Mark Sorrell, Jake Seward, Stefan Feldgeus
Following a pandemic-induced dip, the M&A market achieved a record $1.8 trillion in second-half 2020 deal value, a rebound driven by vaccine optimism and robust capital availability that propelled activity to double pre-pandemic levels by early 2021. Goldman Sachs facilitated over 100 of these transactions through a predominantly virtual execution model, which clients now favor for efficiency while major cross-border and large-ticket deals exceeding $10 billion resume traditional global patterns. The 2021 outlook predicts aggressive strategic repositioning fueled by abundant private equity dry powder, innovative financing structures, and a heightened appetite for hostile approaches as boards prioritize growth over caution.
- Goldman Sachs22 min
2021 Investment Outlook: “US Resilient”
Sharmin Mossavar-Rahmani, Jake Seward
Goldman Sachs CIO David Koston presents a 2021 investment strategy centered on the "U.S. Resilient" framework, advocating for sustained U.S. equity exposure despite elevated valuations while assigning a base case 8% total return with specific tactical allocations to bank loans over high-yield bonds. The outlook highlights China as the primary emerging market growth driver and warns of downside risks including vaccine efficacy against variants and geopolitical tensions, though upside potential remains tied to robust fiscal stimulus and pent-up consumer demand. Ultimately, the analysis urges clients to maintain long-term equity participation rather than attempting to time exogenous shocks like the pandemic, citing historical evidence that institutional resilience and economic fundamentals will eventually drive market recovery.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
Special Episode: The Rise of Retail Investing and Its Impact Across Market Participants
Raj Mahajan, John Marshall, Lizzie Reed, Greg Tuorto, Jake Seward
In early February 2021, a record-breaking surge in retail trading volume reached 24 billion shares as stimulus checks and zero-commission platforms drove participation to 25% of U.S. equity value. This shift toward speculative single-name stocks and options created significant volatility, forcing hedge funds to confront unprecedented short squeezes while compelling institutional investors to adapt risk models to account for coordinated retail activity. Despite these structural challenges, the heightened demand supported a historic $129 billion in global equity issuance, with Goldman Sachs projecting that retail sentiment will remain a critical determinant for future market performance and corporate capital raising.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
France’s Economic Environment for 2021
Recorded in January 2021, this discussion with Goldman Sachs executives forecasts a French GDP contraction of 8.5% to 9.2% for 2021, projecting a return to 2019 levels by 2022 contingent on pandemic management and supported by $130 billion in state-guaranteed loans. The dialogue details sector-specific resilience, noting that small businesses and the tech industry secured significant government aid while corporate M&A activity rose 8% despite lingering challenges in travel and hospitality. Additionally, the event highlights Goldman Sachs's strategic expansion in Paris, including a headcount doubling and a new office relocation in 2022 to serve as a hub for continental European clients and emerging IPO markets.
- Goldman Sachs17 min
Robert Draper, Writer at Large for "The New York Times Magazine"
Robert Draper's *To Start a War* identifies Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz as the primary architect who shifted the Bush administration from containment to invasion, leveraging the 9/11 attacks to overcome President George W. Bush's initial hesitation regarding Iraq. The text details how flawed intelligence was amplified to secure domestic support, creating a credibility chasm that influenced subsequent presidencies while noting that Colin Powell's refusal to resign likely preserved the necessary UK coalition for the 2003 invasion. Draper concludes by analyzing the war's enduring legacy on modern foreign policy, highlighting Joe Biden's regrets over his 2002 vote and the current administration's cautious approach to intelligence and military intervention.
- Goldman Sachs19 min
Companies Continue to Turn to SPACs for Greater Flexibility
The 2020 SPAC market surged to over 200 IPOs raising $100 billion, driven by flexible terms and a broadening investor base that included traditional mutual funds. Following a temporary correction caused by supply fatigue in late 2020, the sector stabilized by December with 10 to 15 successful combinations, signaling renewed momentum for 2021. Looking forward, the industry is expanding into global markets and sectors like PropTech and auto tech, with Goldman Sachs noting 80 active SPACs poised to facilitate an additional $500 billion in M&A activity over the next two years.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
Markets Update: 2021 Global Growth Outlook
Jan Hatzius, Jake Seward, Joe Wall
Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzias projects a 6.4% U.S. GDP growth for 2021, driven by a projected $750 billion stimulus package and a spring recovery accelerated by vaccinations. Global forecasts anticipate a robust 5-6% rebound in Europe and slightly below 8% growth in China, while central banks maintain a dovish stance with no interest rate hikes expected until 2024 or 2025. The analysis concludes that the crisis highlighted the efficacy of aggressive fiscal intervention and the adaptability of market economies despite persistent structural shifts in employment and productivity.
- Goldman Sachs19 min
Evan Osnos, Author of "Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now"
Evan Osnos, Joe Biden, Jake Seward
Interviewer Jake Seward and author Evan Osnos analyze President Biden's political psychology, linking his resilience against childhood tragedy and his early 1972 Senate bid to a governing philosophy that balances personal agency with the acceptance of uncontrollable fate. The discussion outlines Biden's distinct negotiation style, his strategic redefinition of the vice presidency as a substantive partnership with Kamala Harris, and the incoming administration's intent to bypass legislative gridlock through immediate executive action on climate and bureaucratic repair. Furthermore, the narrative details Biden's commitment to rebuilding diplomatic alliances amidst global uncertainty while adopting a conventional media relationship that contrasts sharply with his predecessor's approach.
- Goldman Sachs37 min
"The Battle For Our Screens," Part 1: The Race to Entertain Us
Brett Feldman, Adam Agress, Alekhya Uppalapati, Jake Siewert, Heath Terry, Jake Seward
The pandemic accelerated a structural shift in media consumption, driving a 13% decline in Pay TV households while triggering a 100% surge in streaming engagement and record-breaking mobile gaming spending. Key industry players like AMC and Universal adapted by compressing theatrical release windows to just 17 days, while Disney leveraged its exclusive library to boost Disney+ downloads and test direct-to-consumer models through premium-priced movie releases. As traditional broadcasters face significant ratings erosion, the sector is reallocating $150 billion in legacy revenue toward digital alternatives, with studios and theaters negotiating new financial frameworks to sustain profitability amid heightened production costs and shifting consumer behaviors.
- Goldman Sachs26 min
John Dickerson, Author of 'The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency"
In *The Hardest Job in the World*, journalist John Dickerson argues that the modern presidency has evolved from a constitutionally limited office into an unmanageable entity due to expanded security threats, legislative abdication, and inflated public expectations. Dickerson critiques the current selection process for prioritizing campaign theater over governance skills, citing the Trump administration's pandemic response as evidence that effective leadership requires rigorous operational testing rather than solo heroics. By highlighting the disconnect between campaign narratives and the complex reality of decision-making, the author urges a shift in media and voter focus toward substantive management capabilities and the feasibility of policy implementation.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
The Great Reset: A Framework for Investing After COVID-19
Goldman Sachs Senior Advisor Steve Strong identifies the pandemic as a transformative rule-changing event in his report *The Great Reset*, predicting a permanent economic shift driven by the adoption of resilient business models and "sticky" behavioral changes in remote work and digital health. The analysis forecasts a regulatory pendulum swing that will favor companies with built-in redundancy over efficiency, while simultaneously fragmenting consumer markets into distinct risk-based segments that demand tailored safety and social distancing measures. Ultimately, Strong cautions investors to look beyond immediate crisis survivors toward the upcoming innovation phase, where new entrants and retooled incumbents will dominate by creating superior, more resilient economic structures.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
Rahm Emanuel, Former Chicago Mayor and Author of "The Nation City"
Political leader Rahm Emanuel argues that global power has permanently shifted from dysfunctional national institutions to local governments, where 75% public confidence drives mayors to assume federal responsibilities in climate action, education, and economic growth. Citing Chicago's transformation of its school system and energy grid, Emanuel demonstrates how local leadership can achieve measurable outcomes, such as raising high school graduation rates from 56% to nearly 80%, while overcoming federal gridlock. He asserts that this structural realignment is irreversible and calls for a political strategy focused on execution and enabling policy rather than broad, unfulfillable campaign promises.
- Goldman Sachs16 min
Why Investing in the Longest Bull Market in History is Still a Smart Move
Sharmin Mossavar-Rahmani, Jake Siewert, Jake Seward
Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management's 2020 "Room to Grow" report argues that the current economic expansion will likely persist through 2020, citing favorable central bank policies, a low 20% recession probability, and balanced market conditions that support an 87% chance of positive returns. The firm recommends a strategic overweight in U.S. equities driven by superior demographics and productivity, while cautioning that high capital gains taxes make it inefficient for investors to sell assets waiting for a market dip. Although the analysis acknowledges short-term volatility from geopolitical tensions and the coronavirus outbreak, it projects that disinflationary trends and robust household balance sheets will allow underlying economic growth to reassert itself within months.
- Goldman Sachs29 min
Episode 136: What’s It Really Like to Be a Goldman Sachs Intern?
Jake Seward, Catherine Dorvitz, Rebecca Shiner, Dane Holmes
Dane Holmes, Head of Human Capital Management, guided a Summer 2019 panel of interns, including upcoming analysts Catherine Dorvitz and Rebecca Shiner, to discuss the firm's strategic evolution toward holistic diversity and intentional living. Participants highlighted a critical shift in recruitment where 92% of interns value brand loyalty and a 17% priority on mental disconnection to prevent burnout, alongside an optimistic outlook on AI as a tool for enhancement rather than displacement. The session concluded by outlining the firm's investment in manager education and internal mobility to align with these evolving expectations for meaningful work-life integration.
- Goldman Sachs26 min
Episode 87: The Rate Stuff: What Markets Are Saying About the Macro Outlook
Francesco Garzarelli, Jake Seward
Goldman Sachs Research analysts attribute current equity and bond volatility to a market repricing of U.S. growth following fiscal stimulus, while forecasting four Federal Reserve rate hikes in 2018 that align with a terminal rate near 3%. The firm contends that a synchronized global bond bear market is unlikely until late 2018 or 2019, noting that divergent central bank cycles currently limit systemic risk despite rising term premiums in Europe and Japan. To capitalize on expected market complacency regarding inflation, the strategy advocates maintaining exposure to risky assets while exploiting volatility premiums through steeper yield curves.