Goldman Sachs COO Gary Cohn, who is testifying in front of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission this afternoon, has a short attention span and dyslexia, which means he “has trouble spelling and following character-driven plots,” according to the Journal. However, what skills he lacks he makes up for in other departments. Those who know him say he has “a gift with numbers,” “a heightened ability to absorb verbal communication,” and also, apparently, a strong B.S. detector.
Mr. Cohn also is well-known for being direct, even by Wall Street standards. During the credit crisis, he spotted ex-Goldman executives John Thain and Peter Kraus having dinner at San Pietro restaurant in New York. Mr. Thain now is chief executive of CIT Group Inc., while Mr. Kraus leads AllianceBernstein Holding LP. “They are a pair of Goldman retreads,” Mr. Cohn remarked to his dinner companion, according to people familiar with the conversation.
We can’t wait to hear what he thinks of Angelides and Co. Hopefully, he’ll tell them to their face.
