Goldman executives questioned

Dick Taffe — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:05:43 +0000

The Congressionally appointed Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission exploring the 2008 crash questioned executives from Goldman Sachs, the world’s most profitable bank, about how much it makes trading derivatives — those complex financial bets that helped bring down the economy. Goldman Chief Financial Officer David Viniar said they had no way of determining its derivatives data separately from trading in cash securities. But Mark Williams, a former Federal Reserve bank examiner who teaches finance in the School of Management and is author of “Uncontrolled Risk” about the fall of Lehman Brothers, says he doesn’t buy it.

“For Goldman’s CFO to go before the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission and claim he doesn’t know what Goldman makes in derivatives trading is the equivalent of a major league pitcher not knowing his ERA. Such a claim is shocking given how lucrative and central derivatives trading is to Goldman’s core business model.”

Contact Mark Williams, 617-358-2789, williams@bu.edu

Kenneth W. Freeman named Dean of Boston University School of Management

Jenny Mackintosh — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:19:28 +0000

Kenneth W. Freeman, currently a partner in the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), today was named the Allen Questrom Professor and Dean of Boston University’s School of Management (SMG), announced BU President Robert A. Brown. Freeman succeeds Louis E. Lataif who has helmed the school for 19 years. Read the full news release on Freeman’s appointment to SMG.

BU Today recently sat down with Freeman, where he revealed his intentions to build on the existing strengths of the School of Management, and to listen and learn carefully:

Media inquiries may be directed to Tom Testa.

BU Now » BU SMG

Goldman executives questioned

Kenneth W. Freeman named Dean of Boston University School of Management