According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, Goldman Sachs' board has discussed a potential handover from current CEO David Solomon. John Waldron, 57, is positioned as the likely successor, with the transition potentially occurring around the end of 2027 or in 2028. However, the bank has emphasized that no definitive timeline exists for this leadership change. The succession planning comes as Waldron has been serving as president and chief operating officer since October 2018, the same month Solomon was named CEO. If the board approves the succession plan, Solomon would reportedly remain executive chairman for one to two years, providing a smooth transition period.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Waldron joined Goldman Sachs in 2000 and became co-head of investment banking in 2014. In October 2018, he was appointed president and chief operating officer. The board added him as a director in 2025 and provided him with a retention bonus, moves that analysts have linked to his expected rise to CEO. According to Wells Fargo analyst Mike Mayo, Waldron is unlikely to change the strategy Solomon has devised, noting that "they have been driving Goldman's priorities together." Waldron's recent public interviews have centered on AI rather than crypto, indicating his focus on the bank's operational transformation initiatives.
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, in March 2021, Waldron stated that client demand for Bitcoin was rising. He noted that Goldman was seeking a compliant way to serve these clients, stating "client demand is rising." The bank had already revived its crypto trading desk and began dealing Bitcoin futures for clients, while also considering a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund. Five years later, Goldman's digital assets work has expanded into tokenization, with Bank of New York Mellon agreeing in July 2025 to use Goldman's blockchain-based Digital Asset Platform to track ownership of select money market funds. If promoted, Waldron would inherit a sector where banks are weighing stablecoins and tokenization, positioning him to continue Goldman's crypto expansion strategy.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Waldron has led one major strategic initiative at Goldman Sachs. The bank's proxy statement credits him with developing OneGS 3.0, an AI-driven efficiency plan. A staff memo in October 2025 capped headcount growth through year-end and flagged limited role cuts. If the board approves the succession plan, Waldron's early remarks about Bitcoin could provide insight into how he plans to steer Goldman's crypto work as CEO, while his AI-focused recent interviews suggest continued emphasis on operational transformation initiatives.
