Leading the Way with Meena Flynn

 

Leading from Work
 

How did your career develop?

In college, I initially had no idea what I wanted to do, so I followed in my brother’s footsteps and began the pre-med track and studying for a major in economics. It wasn’t until I stepped foot on a trading floor that I felt as if I’d found my calling. After starting my career in Debt Capital Markets at J.P. Morgan, I joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in Private Wealth Management (PWM) about 20 years ago, and after a few years, I was given the opportunity to help form the Markets Coverage Group. Fast forward a few years, and I transitioned from a salesperson to a producing manager. This was definitely a pivotal moment in my career – being a salesperson was what I knew best, and managing a team and growing a business was new territory. In 2012, I was asked to run the Markets Solutions Group – which has since been rebranded as three distinct businesses (PWM Capital Markets, Managed Strategies and Equity Structuring) – and most recently took on the role of co-head of global PWM with John Mallory.

What’s the most important career advice you’ve received?

Success starts with curiosity – I am a naturally curious person, and I love to dig in and expand my knowledge toolkit. I find myself energized when a new challenge or client situation presents itself. I also love what I do, and I strongly believe it’s important to find a seat in an industry or business where you have a genuine interest.

Everything you do, you put your name on it – My father gave me this piece of advice as a child, and it has always stuck with me. He told me this in the context of doing a chore – vacuuming the floor- but reiterated its larger meaning. He reinforced that everything I do – no matter how big or small – is a reflection of me, which is how I have tried to live my life and I now tell my kids the same thing!

Make your voice heard – If you have a seat at the table, it’s for a reason. Remember that and don’t be afraid to share your unique perspectives.

What is your role at Goldman Sachs, and how do you support clients?

Since 2021, I have been the global co-head of PWM alongside John Mallory. In this capacity, I have the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients – from ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals to family offices. Alongside our advisors and colleagues across the firm, we strive to seamlessly deliver the firm’s investment and non-investment offerings to help clients reach their unique objectives.

How do you lead by example?

By fostering a transparent and supportive culture for our people. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture where our people are encouraged and empowered to share their unique perspectives. We are also focused on finding the roles for our people that highlight their strengths, and believe this is critical in retaining and attracting top talent.

What are some interesting themes and/or trends that you see in your area of expertise?

Every day, I work with UHNW individuals to address their investment and non-investment objectives. A few themes that are top of mind amongst our client base are: 

A focus on alternatives: The private ecosystem has grown into a $7+ trillion market opportunity as companies stay private for longer. We are focused on continuing to expand and strengthen our Alternatives platform to allow clients to participate in this value creation.

The integration of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG): Clients – especially the next generation – have been committed to integrating ESG principles into their investing strategy, with recent events around climate issues, social unrest, and the pandemic amplifying this focus.

Their interest in this space is both mission and value driven, and is fueled by their search for innovative investments that could deliver outsized returns. 

An increasing exposure to hard assets: Clients have expressed interest in hard assets (e.g., art, real estate) as a means of introducing uncorrelated assets into the portfolio and to position for inflation.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

No one can serve our clients the way we do and I love spending each day helping them in ways no one else could. Given the breadth and depth of our global PWM franchise, we have a differentiated ability to deliver on opportunities our clients are focused on. Our emphasis on bringing together resources from across the firm, paired with our ability to invest in the platform and create new offerings across asset classes, is truly unique. Beyond that, I cannot say enough about our people. It is incredibly rewarding to work alongside such talented colleagues within PWM and across the firm to deliver superior solutions for our clients.