A Conversation with Goldman Sachs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Blankfein

Lloyd Blankfein, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, sat down with State Street Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph L. Hooley III ’79 at the March 22 meeting of the Boston College Chief Executives Club. In this question-and-answer session, Blankfein discussed the economy and markets, touching on a number of topics including the past mortgage crisis, his company’s move to consumer lending, and Europe’s current leading statesman. When asked about his much-discussed retirement, Blankfein said, “When things are going badly, you can’t leave. When things are going well, you don’t want to leave. So, you almost by definition—have to leave when you don’t want to leave.” In his nearly 25 years at Goldman Sachs, Blankfein has held a number of positions before becoming chairman and CEO in 2006.