Siblings Neema and Padi Raphael Rise to Goldman Sachs Partners

Neema and Padi Raphael have achieved the rare distinction of serving as partners simultaneously at Goldman Sachs. Siblings from Los Angeles, they have navigated distinct career paths to reach the top of the Wall Street firm.

Padi serves as the global cohead of third-party wealth, while Neema leads the bank's data and AI systems. Their journey highlights a trajectory from childhood in California to executive roles at the firm's 200 West Street headquarters.

Both siblings hold positions essential to the firm's future strategy. Padi Raphael, 47, is the global cohead of the third-party wealth business within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She has built a career in markets and client-facing roles across Europe and Asia, working with broker-dealers and private banks to attract wealthy clients.

Neema Raphael, 44, rose through the technology division and now serves as the chief data officer. He leads hundreds of engineers working on the bank's data and artificial intelligence systems. His role is central to the firm's push into AI, a priority for CEO David Solomon.

The siblings are among roughly 500 partners at a firm of approximately 49,000 employees. Their elevation to partner status represents a significant milestone, moving from working on different continents to sharing the same office environment in New York.

The Raphael siblings grew up in Los Angeles as children of Iranian immigrants. Their parents, Nora Ghodsian and Bijan Raphael, emphasized education, collectively holding three master's degrees and a Ph.D. They encouraged curiosity and reasoning in their children.

Neither sibling initially envisioned a career in financial services. Padi studied neuroscience at UCLA, while Neema studied computer science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Padi joined Goldman Sachs first in 1999 as an analyst. She recalls a grueling hiring process involving more than 30 interviews across three trips to New York while she was still living on the West Coast. She began her career in New York in asset management before relocating to London in 2000 to work in equity derivatives sales.

Neema joined the firm in 2003 after asking Padi for help getting his foot in the door. Padi circulated his résumé and advised him to "be yourself and be thoughtful and show them your work." He joined the technology division as an analyst.

During the financial crisis in 2008, Neema's team helped the bank assess its exposure quickly due to their work digitizing key systems. This effort earned him an internal award typically reserved for dealmakers.

Early in his career, Neema was asked to move to Tokyo. Unsure of the implications, he called Padi, who encouraged him to take the opportunity to broaden his perspective. While their careers unfolded in different parts of the firm, they continued to compare notes.

Partner Milestones:

• Padi was named a partner in 2016.
• Neema was named a partner in 2020.

Padi's career path included navigating the Dot-com bust, the European financial crisis in London, and the coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong. Neema's promotion brought greater visibility as data and technology became increasingly central to the bank's operations.

In 2022, Padi moved back to New York after nearly a decade in Hong Kong, citing a natural choice for her growing family. This move coincided with the firm combining its asset and wealth management businesses. For a time, Padi's family stayed with Neema's family, and they often commuted to the office together.

The siblings maintain a close bond outside of work. Padi has three children, while Neema is raising a young family. Their children are best friends, and the families gather for Shabbat dinners on Friday nights.

An anecdote illustrates their convergence: recently at the 200 West Street headquarters, Padi was walking a client to the elevator when the doors opened to reveal Neema. The client had been hoping to meet him, and Padi came face-to-face with the coworker she calls her "best friend."