6 new Goldman partners share how they celebrated their promotions — and the biggest challenges getting thereNEWS | 10 November 2026Sung Cho, Asset & Wealth Management
Where were you when you found out? Who was the first person you told?
I was at my desk in the middle of the most volatile trading session of the year when David Solomon's name flashed across my phone. Receiving that call directly from David was an extraordinary honor, but the most memorable part was looking up to see the entire third floor stand up and erupt in applause.
The first person I called was my wife, who is also an MD at Goldman Sachs; reaching this milestone would not have been possible without her partnership and sacrifice. After that, I called my parents. That's when the dam broke emotionally — as immigrants who sacrificed everything to build a life in this country and give me these opportunities, hearing their reaction made realizing this dream complete. My teenage girls, on the other hand, could not have cared less!
How are you celebrating?
We celebrated by going out with my investment team to Le District, a restaurant near Goldman Sachs' headquarters. Making partner is never an individual endeavor — it is a reflection of shared investment performance through some very demanding market cycles.
What's a personal or professional challenge that has impacted your work and leadership?
As a fundamental investor, nothing tests your conviction and leadership like navigating a prolonged drawdown. Early in my career, I fell into many behavioral pitfalls: fixating on a single underperforming name, viewing a deteriorating thesis through rose-colored glasses, and letting market volatility cloud objective judgment. Those painful stretches have taught me the importance of developing a process that helps navigate periods of drawdown. Some of the most important pillars are seeking contrarian perspectives, eliminating emotional noise, and mitigating concentration risk. Drawdowns are inevitable, but permanent capital impairment is preventable.
Best piece of career advice you've gotten?
One of my most influential mentors at the firm is Lou D'Ambrosio, a senior partner who previously served as a chief executive and senior operator across several businesses. Hanging in his office is a framed sign with a mantra: "No Spectators Allowed." The phrase demands radical ownership, constant curiosity, and bias toward action. You don't analyze problems from the perimeter or wait for direction; you get into the arena and drive outcomes.
In an AI-accelerated era, this principle is more urgent than ever. The divergence between those who lean in and do the heavy lifting and those who passively observe from the sidelines is going to widen.Author: Alice Tecotzky. Source
