Dane E. Holmes

Age: 39, Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations
Goldman Sachs, New York City

Dane E. Holmes doesn’t run from pressure. He faces it head on. As managing director and head of investor relations at Goldman Sachs, he fields calls daily from shareholders, some of whom view the embattled investment banking firm as a symbol of Wall Street’s avarice in the wake of the subprime mortgage lending crisis that nearly sank the country into a recession. Holmes understands people are angry, but feels that many of the accusations surrounding his company are unjustified. 

“The idea that this crisis solely emanated from one source or from the banking industry is totally wrong, and right now there seems to be a mob-revenge environment. The way that I was raised, nothing good can come out of that,” he says. “There needs to be a group responsibility to this issue and a group responsibility to fixing it.”

Holmes started his career in finance at JPMorgan Chase before joining Goldman Sachs in 2001. He has held his current position since 2007. He received a bachelor’s in architecture from Columbia University, but pursued a career in finance after an internship at a financial company in his junior year. “I was a design zealot,” says Holmes of his passion for architecture and design. That passion made it difficult for him to be open to criticism. The internship, however, taught him teamwork and helped him to develop his analytical and people skills. “I loved it and never looked back.”

As his time allows, he mentors young Black men in various communities and is on the board of Sanctuary for Families. For the most part, however, his weekends belong to his wife and two daughters.
“From Friday evening to Monday morning I get a tidal wave of love,” Holmes chuckles. “It’s all about Dad. Forget everybody else!”

Fun Facts
Dish you cook best:BBQ ribs
What actor should play you in a movie: Denzel Washington
Other languages spoken: German, French
Favorite author: Robert Ludlum
What artist would you go on tour with: U2
Favorite charity: Sanctuary for Families