3 big questions about the state of Goldman Sachs heading into its second-ever investor day

Hey there! Dan DeFrancesco in a snowy (finally) NYC, and I'm at a loss for words about this Chinese invention that's meant to help long-distance couples.

On tap, we've got stories on fintech Chime building out its own version of ChatGPT, why one billionaire is having a terrible 2023, and some tips for being a bit more productive.

But first, investors to the front of the line, please.

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1. Goldman's big day.

All eyes are on 200 West Street in lower Manhattan today, the global headquarters of Goldman Sachs and site of the bank's second-ever investor day.

If you're not familiar with what an investor day is, think of it as a chance for a company to give an update on how things are and where they're headed.

Goldman's first investor day, in 2020, included plenty of discussion about the importance of building out its consumer bank.

About that...

A lot has changed in three years. Consumer banking is no longer the darling it once was. CEO David Solomon seems to keep vexing his employees, whether it's about their year-end bonuses or his side hustle as a DJ. And the bank recently had to enact mass layoffs.

Ahead of today's meeting, I identified the biggest questions people are wondering about Goldman Sachs' future.

Can David Solomon convince investors and analysts he's got the bank on the right track?

In many ways, this is the ONLY question that matters today.

The CEO has instigated three restructurings during his four-year-plus tenure. That's meant the bank's future successes or failures would largely fall on his shoulders. Unfortunately for Solomon, there have been more of the latter than the former recently, and some people have had enough.

As Insider's Dakin Campbell covered earlier this month, some members of the bank's partnership are so fed up they considered complaining about Solomon to the board.

But having some of your top executives lose faith in you is one thing. Losing shareholders' confidence is another game entirely.

It'll be interesting to see how Solomon addresses the crowd. Refusing to cop to one's mistakes is somewhat par for the course on Wall Street, but ignoring how difficult the past few months have been might come off as tone deaf and risk putting Solomon on the bad side of a group he can't afford to annoy.

Will new details emerge regarding the asset and wealth management division that show the business is heading in the right direction?

Goldman's asset and wealth management division will likely get plenty of attention today. The division's global head, Marc Nachmann, and its chief investment officer, Julian Salisbury, are both set to present.

There is a reason the unit is getting the spotlight. Analysts, who will also be in attendance today, love wealth-management businesses because they're predictable. Deal flow and trading comes and goes, but managing rich peoples' money leads to consistent fees.

With Goldman's consumer aspirations up in smoke, the bank has already indicated it wants to lean deeper into asset and wealth management. But how will it go about doing it?

What the hell is going on with Platform Solutions?

If Goldman's global banking and market division is the bank's superstar and asset and wealth management is the up-and-comer, Platform Solutions is the Island of Misfit Toys. That moniker isn't meant to criticize the individual businesses in the division as much as to describe the seeming randomness of putting them all together.

The bank describes the unit as the place for "cloud-based, developer-centric financial products and services," but the commonalities between the businesses — transaction banking, BNPL, consumer banking, and a financial cloud — are somewhat scant.

One similarity in the unit is its heavy reliance on tech, as opposed to other areas of the bank that might be more relationship driven. Goldman has touted itself as being a tech-first firm, but simply housing the most innovative tech projects in a group that has been a drain on the bottom line might not serve as the best recruiting tool for new tech talent.

So what can be said about Platform Solutions that won't make people consider it "equities in Dallas"?

In other news:

2. Chime is working on its own version of ChatGPT. The fintech's CTO told Insider the neobank wants to leverage a chatbot to help its engineers work faster. But it's not planning on using OpenAI's or Google's AI offerings. Here's why.

3. Speaking of David Solomon... Goldman's CEO appeared on a recent episode of the bank's podcast, "Exchanges at Goldman Sachs." From inflation to ChatGPT to US-China relations, a lot was covered. Here are nine of the best quotes from the interview.

4. Part of the brains behind the XFL is a former Goldman banker. Gerry Cardinale, who runs investment firm RedBird Capital, teamed up with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his business partner Dany Garcia to relaunch the spring football league. More on Cardinale's playbook for bringing back the XFL.

5. Say no to SPACs! Michael Klausner, a Stanford Law professor who was a major critic of SPACs, is suing SPAC sponsor GigCapital over claims it misled investors. Read more about his suit and what it could mean for the future of SPACs.

6. The end of an era at Carlyle. Peter Clare, who spent more than three decades at the investment firm and sat on its board of directors, is retiring. Here's what you need to know about the departure of the chief investment officer of Carlyle's corporate private equity.

7. And you thought you were having a bad year... Billionaire Gautam Adani has seen his net worth drop by more than $80 billion since the start of the year. But before you set up a GoFundMe, realize he's still the 30th richest person in the world. Read more about Adani's very bad 2023.

8. Bare Minimum Mondays to help your Sunday Scaries. Self-employed TikToker Marisa Jo Mayes went viral for her revelation that Monday's at work are just about trying to get by. No word on what happens if it bleeds into Too-Tired Tuesdays and Whatever Wednesdays. More on that here.

9. The rent will no longer be too damn high. Tenants are finally getting some power back from their landlords. Here's what that means, along with the types of perks you can expect if you're looking to rent.

10. A little goes a long way (part 2)! From where you should park your car to how your should prioritize tasks, these "micro-habits" can go a long way in helping your mood and productivity. Check out all 10 here.

Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email ddefrancesco@insider.com, tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) and Nathan Rennolds (tweet @ncrennolds) in London.