EXCLUSIVE-Goldman hires Qatalyst co-founder Cayne for software banking push, sources say

Brian Cayne will join Goldman as global co-head of software banking in January Move signals the bank’s push to compete for deals in the lucrative software sector Cayne spent 15 years at Qatalyst Partners By Milana Vinn Dec 17 - Goldman Sachs Group (GS.N) has hired Brian Cayne, a co-founder of boutique tech investment bank Qatalyst Partners, as a global co-head of its software investment banking group, according to people familiar with the matter. Cayne is expected to start at the Wall Street giant in January, the people said, asking not to be named to discuss confidential personnel matters. Based in San Francisco, Cayne will co-lead the software banking practice alongside existing co-heads Joe Porter in London and Jason Rowe in New York. In his new role, Cayne will report to Barry O’Brien and Jung Min, who serve as the global co-heads of Goldman’s technology, media, and telecom (TMT) investment banking group, the people said. A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs declined to comment. Cayne spent 15 years at Qatalyst Partners helping to establish it as a premier advisory firm focused on the technology sector before leaving the bank in 2023, according to his LinkedIn. He joined the firm in 2008 as part of the founding team led by legendary tech banker Frank Quattrone. The high-profile hire underscores Goldman’s push to bolster its advisory practice in the lucrative and highly competitive software sector. Goldman Sachs & Co ranked No. 1 in global technology M&A in 2025 by deal value, advising on transactions totaling $337.8 billion, giving it a 42.5% market share, according to data compiled by LSEG. Some of the bank’s largest deals this year included the $56.5 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts (EA.O) and Alphabet’s (GOOGL.O) $32 billion acquisition of cloud security firm Wiz. Cayne’s hire signals the bank’s intent to compete aggressively for top talent and major deals as it reshapes its influential TMT group to better capitalize on key growth trends, including artificial intelligence. Goldman Sachs is undertaking a wider reorganization of its TMT investment banking division. The bank is restructuring the group with a strategic focus on infrastructure deals and AI, according to an internal memo previously seen by Reuters. As part of that overhaul, the bank combined its telecom and “CoreTech” teams to form two new groups: Global Infrastructure Technology and Global Internet and Media.