A pair of baby-faced Goldman Sachs bankers could be fired over flashy photo shoots and interviews they gave for an “unauthorized” spread in a trendy New York magazine, The Post has learned.
Ivy League graduates Mason Clarke, 24, and Clay Nelson, 25, have landed themselves “in hot water” — after they appeared in a feature for Interview Magazine dubbed “The Finest Boys in Finance,” according to well-placed sources.
In the splashy spread, the junior Goldman bankers laid bare their eye-popping spending habits, the state of their love lives, and their favorite hangouts to blow off steam in the Big Apple.
Clarke, who said he enjoys sipping Chianti between his brutal banking shifts, was pictured sprawled on a plush navy couch, pouting in a Celine suit, a Hermes tie, and a luxury watch by Swiss manufacturer Omega.
“Live below your means, invest early, and don’t build the lifestyle before you build the foundation,” the young investment banker advised.
Three sources familiar with the matter said the young Wall Streeters had caused “embarrassment” inside the David Solomon-led firm and that they had blindsided their bosses.
One source said that any HR proceedings would no doubt be shrouded in secrecy, but that possible sanctions could range from “a slap on the wrist all the way up to termination.”
“If these analysts didn’t get approval, then that’s a violation of the firm’s policy,” said one veteran Wall Streeter. “The policies are clear: It’s about checking with people who might have better judgment.”
Goldman’s chief spokesperson, Tony Fratto, a George W. Bush administration alum, refused to be drawn on possible disciplinary action for the two twenty-something Goldmanites.
“Goldman Sachs media relations did not approve these interviews,” Fratto told The Post, declining to comment further.
Some senior Goldmanites said they were flummoxed by the splashy self-promotion — not to mention the fashion choices.
“What’s a Celine suit?” joked one 200 West Street doyen. “Is that like a hazmat suit?”
Another senior banker quipped: “They will probably be fine whatever they decide to do next, but it probably won’t be modeling jobs.”
Columbia alum Clarke bragged about his long slogs in the office, claiming he gets “five to six [hours of sleep] on a good night” and declared that “mediocrity” was his “idea of hell.”
Cornell graduate Clay Nelson, a global banking and markets associate, told the magazine that his most stupid purchase since he launched his fledgling finance career was a $3,000 Moncler jacket that he “definitely didn’t need.”
The West Village equities trader rocks a razor-sharp Tom Ford suit, a Hermes tie, and designer frames by posh Berlin-based brand Mykita as he warns about the “volatile” crypto market.
“Start investing early. Even if it’s as simple as buying the S&P 500, it’s important to get your money in the market,” Nelson was quoted as saying.
The bachelor banker admitted to Interview magazine that he had not yet made it onto the elite dating app Raya, confessing that he only uses Hinge.
Nelson, a dirty vodka martini enthusiast, listed swanky Manhattan spots Jac’s on Bond, Bar Pisellino, and Mace as the top places that he would take any lady lucky enough to match with him.
“It’s maybe a sign of the changing times,” a Goldman insider said. “Juniors coming through now grew up in a social media age. They are so much more in tune with their public profile.”
Clarke also appears in another shot wearing a Loro Piana suit and a Rolex alongside PwC AI analyst Demarre Johnson, 23.
Johnson, a Dallas native, laid out his thoughts on crypto investing and AI, but also confessed to buying “a painting for $1,400 that is simply a bunch of lines.”
He says he owns “approximately six vests and seven Vineyard Vines quarter zips”: an essential part of any finance bro’s wardrobe when kicking off their career on Wall Street.
Barclays associate vice president Tommy Doherty, who said he owns up to ten vests, tells Interview readers that they should “know your risk tolerance and have a well-diversified portfolio.”
It is unclear whether Johnson and Doherty obtained approval to be interviewed by the magazine.
A Barclays spokesperson declined to comment. The Post has also sought comment from PwC. The four flashy finance bros were not immediately available for comment.
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