In 2002, declining equities markets and volatile debt markets, increasing levels of risk and market uncertainty made decision-making extremely difficult for management teams across virtually every industry—and raised the stakes of action or inaction considerably. For Goldman Sachs only a few things were certain: we would stay close to our clients, listen to their concerns, and offer our best thinking and our most objective advice.

Where it made sense for our issuer clients, we engaged our global distribution capabilities in an effort to tap the most attractive and efficient markets to meet their needs. For our investor clients, we worked to identify and develop opportunities that met their investment objectives.

We have spent significant amounts of time with our clients, helping them allocate assets, evaluate risk, hedge their exposures and enhance shareholder value. Most companies can excel in an up market, but experience, expertise and superior execution make a difference for clients when things get difficult.