Goldman Sachs banker Tweets cause stir

August 12, 2011 | By Jim Kim

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A massive challenge has been issued to Goldman Sachs compliance managers: Catch me if you can.

The challenge comes from an anonymous Tweeter, who has set up the account @GSElevator to tell the world what he hears everyday riding the Goldman Sachs elevators. He purports to be a Goldman Sachs banker who hasn't had as much work to do in the market-related lull. So he's learned a bit about social media and is bent on giving the world an unprecedented view of life at Goldman Sachs.

This is a bit dangerous from a career point of view. The bank cannot allow this to happen, especially in light some of the Tweeter's comments to the New York Times that might be construed as taunting.

"I don't possibly see how I could be outed. I have not told anyone that I am doing this. And I am using a Twitter and Gmail account that have no connection to me. Furthermore, I do not tweet from my mobile phone. I am using an unregistered laptop that I paid for with cash. I will not tweet from home, only from wi-fi hotspots."

The firm has no choice but to pursue this aggressively. They cannot allow this to continue. My sense is that he will be caught before too long. Some people at the bank know what he is doing, and have even given him submissions about what they have overheard. And he has dropped some tantalizing clues, saying for example that he's not the most senior of bankers but that he knows CEO Lloyd Blankfein.

"I have occasionally met him, but have never really had much interaction. Having said that, I do have his cell and home number if you want it."

So what do we make of this? Many would be tempted to say that the man has a career death wish. More likely, he's sensing an opportunity to change careers by getting a book contract. If he evades capture for a while, there may be a tale to tell. The compliance folks may be onto him already, as his account was mysteriously closed temporarily for a bit after he started it.

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