With $90 billion in assets under management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management is moving beyond traditional index replication to tackle what investors actually need: solutions to specific financial challenges.
In this edition of ETF Innovators, Brendan McCarthy, Global Head of ETF Distribution and Capital Markets at GSAM, points out that the lines between investment vehicles are blurring, and GSAM is positioning itself as “wrapper-agnostic.” A client might access the same strategy through an ETF, mutual fund, separately managed account, or private vehicle, depending on what suits their needs. The product offers the liquidity and transparency of an ETF alongside the characteristics of illiquid private equity – without forcing investors into a false choice between the two.
Income-oriented strategies are another growth area. Demand for yield is evergreen, but the nature of that demand is shifting. Clients now want enhanced income, diversified sources of yield, and upside participation simultaneously. Rather than settling for traditional dividend or fixed income products, sophisticated investors are turning to strategies that use derivatives to improve returns while managing downside risk. GSAM is expanding its offering here, with several new products in the pipeline.
Looking ahead, the firm is no longer thinking about managing individual products, but about being a portfolio construction partner. This evolution is supported by its European expansion and the strategic Innovator acquisition, which strengthens GSAM's defined outcomes capabilities.
“That is a big part of our value add — to truly provide solutions where we truly are wrapper agnostic.”
Brendan McCarthy, Global Head of ETF Distribution and Capital Markets, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Looking ahead, the firm is no longer thinking about managing individual products, but about being a portfolio construction partner. That represents a meaningful shift in how asset managers compete and how investors should evaluate them.
About ETF Innovators
ETF Innovators is a short-form video series hosted by Valerie Grimba, Director, Global ETF Strategy, that spotlights how RBC clients are driving innovation in ETFs. The series tracks the evolution of the global ETF landscape and spotlights the leaders, ideas, and strategies powering the next wave of performance.
