Akila Raman

Dealmaking and M&A have had a record year—and Akila Raman is at the heart of the action. Promoted in early February, Raman runs operational strategy for the global investment bank. She’s currently focused on international expansion and growth in new products like ESG. Having started as an intern in 2003, Raman spent most of her time with natural resources companies in sectors such as energy, power, and metals. She has also prioritized using technology and automation to streamline the workflow and relieve stress among the Goldman investment bankers she oversees. As the daughter of Indian and Korean immigrants, Raman hasn’t seen many people who look like her on Wall Street, and she’s spent years mentoring women and people of color—not just at Goldman but across the industry. “Whenever I leave this place and career, that will be a really cool legacy,” she says.