What is the point of partnership at Goldman Sachs?

I do not understand what "being a partner at GS" means. I understand that Top consulting firms and Big4 companies use Partnership as the equity holders of the firm, and they distribute dividends among partners. But GS is a public company, anyone can buy GS shares and become "owner" of the bank, so what really is a Partner at Goldman Sachs. Is it just a status level in the internal hierarchy? 

What is the difference between a Partner and a Managing Director? 

Why only GS have partners among BB? 

Do partners at GS get access to a portion of dividends? If so, why do main shareholders allow it?

44 Comments
 

GoodBread

GS was one of the last big banks to go public, it's an honorific carryover that comes with nice comp. Still, it's nothing like what the actual partners got paid when GS went public.

Interestingly I remember reading about a couple of promotions in the commodities team (both this latest round and the round before that). Not bad for a group which is meant to be ostracised. It suggests what was mentioned above about making people up to prevent them from jumping ship to the buy-side, competitors etc.

 

It's not just an honorific. There are HUGE benefits that come with being Partner besides pay and prestige. You get lifetime access to a lot of things, including GS's research/GS360/etc, which normal MD's don't have access to post-GS employment. The difference between Partner and MD is comparable to, if not greater than the difference between MD and VP.

 

False, you need a net worth $100mm AND be a corporate/institutional client to even be considered for access to the portals. For Credit research access, you also need to be a MIFID professional in EMEA/Asia/LatAm to gain access. Former partners getting access to the institutional portal is most certainly a great benefit (and it’s not the only benefit).

 

Aside from ridiculously high comp and bonus, another actual benefit to being a partner at GS is that you’re allowed to invest your own money in certain of the firm’s PE / alternative asset funds which can be highly profitable

 

It took me five minutes to google this article on the benefits of making partner at GS.  Not to mention, much of the information in this article is being touted by members on this forum as their own.  I suppose it's the intent of the lazy or of the vain to not site their work, but if we did - it sure would reveal how much we rely on one another...  Enjoy the read.

https://www.businessinsider.com/becoming-a-partner-at-goldman-sachs-201…

"A man can convince anyone he's somebody else, but never himself."
 

I'm pro-business, Republican and a former banker that worked for probably one of the most vilified investment banks of them all.

I was an investment banker for 9 years, first with Deutsche Bank and the last 4 years with Goldman Sachs as a Vice President before the market meltdown cost me my job back in 2009.

Ask me anything...

 

It took me five minutes to google this article on the benefits of making partner at GS.  Not to mention, much of the information in this article is being touted by members on this forum as their own.  I suppose it's the intent of the lazy or of the vain to not site their work, but if we did - it sure would reveal how much we rely on one another...  Enjoy the read.usps tracking

that's helpful!!

 

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