From Millennials to Market Movers

27 FEB 2017

The second annual Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) Young Professionals and Future Leaders event, hosted at the Goldman Sachs London offices on February 23, explored the economic and social impact of the Millennial generation, which includes people born between 1980 and 2000. 

More than 100 clients attended the event, which was organized by analysts in GSAM and targeted junior employees from clients in the United Kingdom.

“This event is meant to help our junior people connect with their peers at our key clients with the expectation that these relationships will last throughout their careers, thereby keeping clients connected to the firm longer,” said Kathleen Hughes, global head of Liquidity Solutions Sales and European head of Institutional Sales.

As a portfolio manager in GSAM’s Fundamental Equity team, Simon Barnard highlighted the growth that has taken place across sectors such as technology, media and consumer discretionary. 

“Millennials are quickly becoming the most influential global consumer,” Simon said. “As their earning power rapidly accelerates, they are driving a series of trends which continue to reshape the investment landscape.”

Drawing on her personal experience of growing up in China as one of 400 million Chinese ‘millennials’, Lin Yue, an executive director in GSAM’s UK and Irish institutional business noted, “This generation has a significantly different outlook compared to the rest of China.” She discussed the impact of being raised in one-child households during an era of unprecedented economic growth, with the added empowerment of technology.

During a discussion with Philip Green, CFO of Deliveroo - a British online food ordering start-up – he noted that the emergence of start-up businesses is having a transformative effect on corporate culture across the spectrum of small to large businesses. As a result, employees are now increasingly focused on work-life balance, continuous feedback and delivering innovative solutions to complex issues.

Participants also had the opportunity to hear from senior GSAM leaders on how to build a successful long-term career.

“Building a successful long-term career requires a number of attributes,” advised Andrew Wilson, CEO of GSAM International for EMEA and co-head of Global Fixed Income and Liquidity Solutions. “At GSAM, we value people with passion, integrity and a strong team ethic. Young professionals that have these qualities and carry out their responsibilities with enthusiasm and good judgment are most likely to develop into the business leaders of tomorrow.”
 


Related Link:
View the firm’s infographic on Millennials.