At Work at Goldman Sachs: Lauren, Vice President, Asset & Wealth Management

Tell us about your journey at the firm.

I joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in the summer of 2015, after completing my undergraduate degree. I was a summer intern the prior year, and I was thrilled to return to the Leveraged Finance group, which sits within Investment Banking. As an analyst, I was responsible for providing debt financing to private equity firms to support their leveraged buyouts of companies in the middle market.

While in investment banking, I worked on a new investment made by the firm’s principal investing group, which at the time was part of Merchant Banking. I really enjoyed the cross-divisional collaboration and was interested in learning more about equity investing, as my experience had been entirely in debt underwriting. As a result, after two years in Investment Banking, I decided to pursue mobility within the firm to the Private Equity group in Merchant Banking. 

The financial and analytical skills that I developed while in investment banking were crucial for my next role in private equity. Since 2017, I have been investing in private equity in our Capital Partners Funds with a focus on healthcare.

I left the firm in 2019 to earn my MBA and returned after completing my degree in 2021. 

Why did you choose to return to Goldman Sachs?

The primary reason I decided to return to GS after earning my MBA is the people. I am continually impressed and motivated by the depth of knowledge, work ethic, humility and thoughtfulness of my colleagues.

I have been a fortunate recipient of mentorship and advocacy at the firm, which has enabled me to continue to grow and advance here. It is very important to me to pay that forward and serve as a resource for others as they navigate their careers.

What are some of your main responsibilities and goals in your current position?

My colleagues and I in the private equity group have two primary goals: first, to manage our existing investments and drive value creation for our portfolio companies, and second, to evaluate new opportunities and make investments that we believe will generate attractive returns for our investors.

As a vice president in the group, I closely collaborate with the management teams and Board members of our portfolio companies to monitor performance and execute key strategic and growth initiatives. I also assess new investment opportunities, which involves both qualitative and quantitative analysis, a review of market trends and the competitive landscape, and an assessment of a company’s growth trajectory. In order to do so, we build relationships with executives, bankers and advisors who are helpful for deal sourcing and diligence, in addition to portfolio company strategy and value creation execution.   

What is your favorite part of your role? What are some of the top skills have you been able to develop at the firm?

My favorite part of my job is interacting with, learning from, and developing relationships with industry leaders and experienced executives who are an invaluable source of strategic insight and thought leadership. I am frequently working closely with healthcare executives with more than 20 years of experience, which enables me to grow as an investor, manager and leader. 

What makes working at the firm special?

Goldman Sachs is a unique place to be a private equity investor, as it provides differentiated access to capital, deal flow, industry expertise, financing sources and advisory services. I benefit tremendously from the ability to collaborate with my colleagues across the firm – whether that be from other Alternatives investing strategies, Wealth Management, Investment Banking, or Global Investment Research. 

Are you involved in any other initiatives or programs at the firm?

Having participated in internal mobility myself, I have become very involved in associate recruiting for the Private Equity group. In this role, I meet frequently with Investment Banking analysts and associates interested in learning about private equity.

In addition to providing informal advice and support to my colleagues in banking as they think through next steps in their career, I have also led our formal recruiting process, which involves introducing our group and interviewing candidates for the first-year associate role in private equity. 

What do you like to do when you're not at work?

During my free time, I am very active. I love to play golf and do Pilates. I also love spending time in nature and try to get out for runs in Central Park or hikes upstate.