The Most Influential People On Wall Street

Wall Street is filled with many big players who exert a tremendous amount of influence on the global financial markets. They serve as institutional investors, CEOs and hedge fund managers to some of the biggest financial companies in the world. As the 2008 financial crisis clearly demonstrated, they also hold significant political influence, helping to secure massive bailouts for their cash-strapped firms. Below we survey some of the most influential people on Wall Street and look at why they are so important.

Lloyd Blankfein – CEO, Goldman Sachs Group

Goldman Sachs was at the centre of the storm during the 2008 financial crisis, as politicians and ordinary citizens turned against the company that seemed to represent all that is wrong with Wall Street. Lloyd Blankfein, who became CEO just two years prior, helped navigate the company through the muddy waters. Today, Goldman Sachs is stronger than ever before, and its success has turned Mr. Blankfein into a billionaire. In fact, Goldman shares have quadrupled since it went public in 19991, cementing its place as America’s largest full-service investment bank.

James Dimon – CEO, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Perhaps no other bank leader has emerged from the 2008 financial crisis with more respect than James Dimon, who heads America’s third-largest full investment bank JPMorgan Chase. Under the guidance of Mr. Dimon, JPMorgan has emerged as one of the top investment banks in the world. His leadership is well known for inspiring fierce loyalty among his employees. Amid the changing financial landscape, the 53-year old has done a phenomenal job grooming the next generation of financial leaders who will succeed him once he decides to step down2.

Stephen Schwarzman – Chairman and CEO, Blackstone Group

As the head of the largest alternative investment firm in the world, it’s easy to see why Stephen Schwarzman is so powerful. Blackstone Group, which was founded in 1985, has a staggering $311 billion of assets under management3. It is widely considered to be the one of the most successfully institutionalized private investment firms in America, rivaled only by the Washington, D.C.-based Carlyle Group4.