Stressed about the exodus of top talent at Goldman Sachs? Nothing that a well-mixed martini can’t fix.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon threw a massive cocktail party at his posh loft in Manhattan’s trendy Soho neighborhood on Monday — and guests included a who’s who of big-name bankers who have left the Wall Street giant, On the Money has learned.
Among more than 100 guests at Solomon’s Wooster Street penthouse was former Goldman CEO Lloyd Blankfein — who lately has been busy playing down his reported criticism of Solomon, including his side gig as a DJ and his private jet habit.
“Burying the hatchet [between Blankfein and Solomon] was a theme” of the evening, according to one well-placed source.
The pair were spotted chatting and the overall mood of the evening was collegial and friendly, sources added.
Another source said the evening’s vibe was “shockingly normal” and noted Solomon and Blankfein have spoken and even seen each other multiple times this year.
In a comment to On The Money, Blankfein described the event as “a good reminder of what’s special about Goldman.”
A Goldman spokesperson declined to comment
Solomon hosted the secret soiree in honor of Dina Powell McCormick, who in May announced she was leaving Goldman for a newly created role at a merchant bank run by two former Goldman partners, Gregg Lemkau and Byron Trott.
In addition to Powell McCormick, Lemkau and Trott, other high-profile Goldman defectors were also in attendance.
Among them: Gary Cohn, Stephen Scherr, Stephanie Cohen, Bob Steel, Heather Miner, Tom Connolly, Stacy Bash-Polley, Kathy Elsesser and Julian Salisbury.
Also in attendance were dozens of current partners — including John Waldron, Kim Possnett, Meena Flynn and Carey Halio.
Some sources cast the party as a shrewd — and possibly successful gambit by Solomon — given how many executives who’ve recently departed showed up.
While Solomon has hosted partners at his home for dinner in recent months, this event was on a much larger scale, a source said.
“Goldman is still Goldman,” a source said. “The alumni network is powerful and it lasts.”
Last month, noti.group’s Charlie Gasparino reported Blankfein and Solomon were planning to have dinner in an effort to “further bury the hatchet.”
The story added that, “Lloyd Blankfein says the friction between him and David Solomon is ‘so overplayed.’”
Also in attendance: Powell’s husband David McCormick — the former Bridgewater Associates CEO who launched a campaign for Senate in Pennsylvania last month.
“There was a lot of buzz about him running,” a source said. “He’s going to get a lot of support from the Goldman crowd.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
