Wall Street: Not-too-rich for Wells Fargo

The latest in finance.
View in browser
INSIDER
Subscribe

10 THINGS ON WALL STREET

Hiya! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC. The Fed bumped rates again — surprise, surprise — but could this finally be the end?

Today, we've got stories on Goldman Sachs shaking up leadership in its investment bank, a new executive role in Bank of America's tech division, and what the most expensive home in the US looks like.

But first, you can't do anything with five, Greg!


If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider's app here.


Sarah Snook, Jeremy Strong, and Kieran Culkin in HBO's

1. The little things about big money.

Want to know the best way to identify a really rich person? Check if they're wearing a coat.

See, the ultra-rich don't spend enough time outside to wear a jacket. Unlike the rest of us waiting for Ubers or, God forbid, the subway, they get door-to-door service everywhere they go. 

HBO's "Succession" worked hard to get those details right, one of the show's executive directors recently told the Robb Report. And while the minutiae of a person's outerwear might seem trivial, it speaks to a larger point: Extremely wealthy people operate very differently than the rest of us. 

Which brings us to a fantastic story about Wells Fargo's decision to reorganize how it serves its ultra-rich clients. Insider's Hayley Cuccinello and Reed Alexander have all the juicy details on the bank's decision in late 2020 to fold Abbot Downing, which catered to Wells' richest clients, into its wider private bank.

Spoiler alert: It didn't go well.

Hayley and Reed spoke to nearly 20 people who were at the firm during the transition. And while many understood some changes were necessary, nearly everyone agreed the bank didn't go about it the right way.

At its core, insiders say the bank tried applying a one-size-fits-all strategy to a group that is very much not one-size-fits-all.

As one former wealth advisor put it, it's like a car shop that services only Ferraris deciding one day to start fixing every other car model. (For the record, my Mazda CX-5 rides pretty smooth, thank you very much.)

To be fair, I understand Wells' wider philosophy. Serving the mass affluent is an easier business to grow than advising the ultra-rich, who expect more customized service. 

But, as Hayley and Reed's story lays out, some of the decisions made seemed a bit rash. And when you consider how aggressively Wells' peers (e.g. Morgan Stanley, Goldman) are pushing into the market, you start to wonder if the bank will regret its choice in the long run. 

Read more about Wells Fargo's chaotic reorganization of its private bank.


In other news:

Kim Posnett

2. Goldman's new-look investment bank. The prestigious Wall Street firm made a slew of changes among its senior dealmakers. Most notably, Kim Posnett was named head of the bank's TMT group. Read about it here. And for more on Posnett's rising profile at Goldman, click here.

3. Bank of America shakes up its tech division. BofA's chief information security officer is taking on a brand-new role in the bank that's focused on the developer experience. It's the latest move in what has been an active 12 months for the bank's tech division. Read more here.

4. As if buying a house wasn't expensive enough, real estate agents are slipping in more fees. A new fee is popping up in closing statements across the country. And while it goes by many aliases — administrative, transaction, regulatory compliance — it's really just a junk fee. More on the latest real-estate shake down.

5. Google's VC firm just backed a startup looking to usurp financial advisors with AI. Range landed a $12 million Series A round led by Gradient, Google's AI-focused VC fund. More on how the startup wants to upend financial planning.

6. KPMG previously audited the three banks that recently failed. Yikes! The accounting firm had signed off on financial statements from Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic, the Financial Times reports. Here's why KPMG could face some scrutiny.

7. No more hiding those losses, hedge funds. A new rule from the SEC will require big hedge funds to report major losses to regulators within 72 hours of occurring, Bloomberg reports.

8. Here's how a software engineer job-hopped his way to an early retirement. Frank Niu made stops at Netflix, IBM, and Grubhub before packing it in at the ripe old age of 30. Here's how much he made every step of the way.

9. Take a peak inside the most expensive home in the US. Listed at $250 million, this NYC penthouse (of course it's in New York!) is on Billionaires' Row and overlooks Central Park. And with 17,545 square feet of interior living space, you've got some room for guests. Check out the jaw-dropping pics.  

10. Some advice from a Costco vet. Having spent nearly two decades working at Costco, Veronica Thatcher knows all the tips and tricks for shopping at the warehouse. Here's some of her best advice.


Curated by Dan DeFrancesco in New York. Feedback or tips? Email ddefrancesco@insider.com, tweet @dandefrancesco, or connect on LinkedIn. Edited by Jeffrey Cane (tweet @jeffrey_cane) in New York and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London. 

 

Key phrases

Older messages

Debt ceiling showdown

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Plus: Real-estate junk fee explosion, and Amazon's Alexa plans. View in browser Subscribe May 3, 2023 Hello, Insiders. This is Joe Ciolli, a deputy executive editor in Insider's business

Wall Street: The crisis that doesn’t end

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hi! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and it's time for one of my favorite annual traditions: the wildest outfits

Why everything costs so much

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Plus: Airbnb 'bait and switch' scam, and JPMorgan's First Republic win. View in browser Subscribe May 2, 2023 Hello, Insiders. Josée Rose, executive editor for business, here. Price hikes

Wall Street: Citadel’s secret weapon

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

The latest in finance. View in browser INSIDER INSIDER Subscribe 10 THINGS ON WALL STREET Hey there! Dan DeFrancesco in NYC, and we've got an update on the cocaine hippos, which are now wreaking

How to actually be good at Zoom

Monday, May 1, 2023

Plus: JPMorgan's buying First Republic, and popular Zillow spots. View in browser Subscribe May 1, 2023 Hello, Insiders. This is Lisa Ryan, an executive editor on Insider's audience team. First

You Might Also Like

TikTok fires back

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Bloomberg Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg TikTok sued the US government over a new law that will force its Chinese parent ByteDance to divest the popular video app or face a ban across the

🎵 Chips meet AC/DC

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Apple unveiled Project ACDC | UBS went above and beyond | Finimize Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for May 8th in 3:05 minutes. 🚀 Speaker applications are officially open for the 2024

Avoid big vet bills chewing up your finances — here’s how

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Protect your pets with quality insurance for as little as $1 a day. ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Neoliberal Economics: The Road to Freedom or Authoritarianism?

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz's new book argues the road to tyranny is paved not by too much, but by too little government. View this email online Planet Money What Paves The Road To

Stop Feeling Like a Stock Market Failure 🏆

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

The following is a third-party sponsored message. It should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by HS Dent Publishing. How's it going with your investing journey? I know, I know—

Wait for it

Monday, May 6, 2024

Bloomberg Evening Briefing View in browser Bloomberg Wait for it. That's the message from Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin, who said he expects high interest rates to

☕️ Coffee's 45-year high

Monday, May 6, 2024

Buffett pledged his allegiance to Apple | Coffee's about to get a lot more expensive | Finimize Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for May 7th in 3:13 minutes. ☕️ Finimized over an oat

Rodney's Take 5-6-24 Asking Someone Else To Save the Planet

Monday, May 6, 2024

Indians Poised To Be the Cool Kids ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌

Retirement Secret" Showed 995% Gain Last Time We Shared It

Monday, May 6, 2024

The following is a third-party sponsored message. It should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by HS Dent Publishing. Dear Reader, One of the most renowned retirement experts in America

Martingale Beliefs

Monday, May 6, 2024

Plus! Martingale Beliefs; Diff Jobs; Country Equity; Costs and Benefits; Continuation Funds; Deepfaking the Dead and the Last Generation of Celebrities; Mature Financial Systems Martingale Beliefs By