Investment Banks as the Houses of Westeros - Game of Thrones (GoT)

In honor of GoT S7 premiering next month, I'd like to pose a simple question to the WSO community. If the investment banks were the Houses of Westeros, which would they be?

My Opinion:

Goldman Sachs/House Lannister - the "old money" in Westeros and currently crushing the league tables/ruling the seven kingdoms; despised by most of the other houses for their continued dominance and placing loyal members in key positions of government

Morgan Stanley/House Tyrell - Challenging the Lannisters for supremacy with equally old money and family name but alas still second best

JP Morgan/House Targaryen - An old, powerful name that has seen significant success in recent years (post financial crises); has upended the balance of power rising to the top of league tables using a bevy of powerful new tools i.e. massive, fire-breathing dragons/balance sheets

BAML /House Stark - Another old name(ML) whose alliance with the wildlings(BofA) has resulted in recent success through the use of powerful new tools including giants/massive balance sheets but still trying to figure out how to use new alliance to topple other ruling families/banks

Credit Suisse/House Martell - A strong platform competing with all the other families in the seven kingdoms/USA but still something oddly foreign about them; tried to integrate by marrying into the royal family(Elia and Rhaegar)/buying First Boston but with mixed success

Barclays/House Tully - As a result of questionable alliances i.e. marriage into Houses Stark and Arryn/purchase of Lehman's US banking business, Barclays has seen better days

Citi/House Arryn - Old powerful name (Saloman Bros) that has sat out most of the War of the Five Kings/financial crises wheeling and dealing to lick its wounds; now middle of the road with new leadership i.e. Peter Baelish/Michael Corbat and seeking to reassert dominance

Deutsche/House Greyjoy - Crises of leadership in recent years i.e. step down of Jain & Fitschen/death of Balon Greyjoy along with a refusal to play by the rules i.e. manipulation of LIBOR etc./raiding and pillaging of the North has resulted in a beatdown

UBS/House Baratheon - Oh how the mighty have fallen; Once, one of the most powerful families in Westeros, significant talent losses i.e. Robert, Stannis and Renly deaths/Blair Effron and Ken Moelis departures as well as a refusal to play by the rules i.e. forex manipulation/human sacrifices has resulted in obliteration

Thoughts? Comments? Criticism?

Mod Note (Andy): top 50 posts of 2017, this one ranks #2 (based on # of silver bananas)

Comments ( 78 )

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5y
GiveMeAShot , what's your opinion? Comment below:

And it's coming... haha

Does the Tiger fire the Monkey? Does the Tiger transfer the Monkey to another branch?
  • 2
5y
bojangles420 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Well thought out +SB...wonder if you could throw some EBs into the mix though

5y
Craig McDermott , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Lehman would have to be house Bolton then...

Cheer up, Bateman. What's the matter? No shiatsu this morning?
  • 2
5y
SandyCheeks , what's your opinion? Comment below:

I love this. Tickling my GoT itch, the hype is real!

Who are the white walkers?

  • 1
5y
German_Monkey_ , what's your opinion? Comment below:

This is amazing, there should be a show on this (such as Game of Zones on the NBA)

  • 2
5y
SixStigma , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Lloyd Blankfein as Tywin Lannister is so oddly fitting.

Array
  • 5
5y
My Name is Jeff , what's your opinion? Comment below:

SEC = Wight Walkers, Preet Bharara could've been the Night King WSJ = Varys. Impotent media outlet

GoldenCinderblock: "I keep spending all my money on exotic fish so my armor sucks. Is it possible to romance multiple females? I got with the blue chick so far but I am also interested in the electronic chick and the face mask chick."
  • 2
5y
My Name is Jeff , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Fitting username

GoldenCinderblock: "I keep spending all my money on exotic fish so my armor sucks. Is it possible to romance multiple females? I got with the blue chick so far but I am also interested in the electronic chick and the face mask chick."
  • 1
5y
My Name is Jeff , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Dolen Trump for Many Faced God. Too many variant, and often contradictory, opinions on the same topic. Putin for Lord of Light.

GoldenCinderblock: "I keep spending all my money on exotic fish so my armor sucks. Is it possible to romance multiple females? I got with the blue chick so far but I am also interested in the electronic chick and the face mask chick."
5y
BeautifullyConfused , what's your opinion? Comment below:

White Walkers = Incoming Tech Startups coming back for another round following the Dot Com Boom

5y
Chuck Rhoades , what's your opinion? Comment below:

SB for quality. In Australia - a dominant powerhouse. Outside of Australia - relatively unknown.

'I'm jacked... JACKED TO THE TITS!!'
5y
rj1443 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

this is what happens when the intern has too much time on his hands... somebody get this man a model to build lol

  • 3
5y
Anonymous Monkey , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Investment banks might have been game of thrones pre financial crisis , now with their changed cultures and low returns, they are more like the show "girls". Goldman Sachs is Lena Dunham, Citibank is shoshanna.

5y
East_West , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Bear would have been House Bolton..those guys were real cowboys who didn't give a you know what.

5y
Matrick , what's your opinion? Comment below:

that must've taken a long time to put all this together. SB.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing.

See my Blog & AMA

5y
Esuric , what's your opinion? Comment below:

A winner +1

“Elections are a futures market for stolen property”
5y
andmat , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Government Sachs=Varys

Finding its way into every regime, always asserting influence no matter who's on top.

5y
crabcurry , what's your opinion? Comment below:

HSBC = Qarth BNP = Lys ( trading house known for exotics) Fed = Maester Order =(secret order with mysterious influences with every house), Oldtown and the Citadel is FOMC /FRBNY RBS = Night's Watch (once a proud financial powerhouse/down to 135 men)

Lehman = Freys ( since the twins are super important to westeros) PBOC = Volantis/Bravoos Iron Bank (financial superpower outside of westeros)

  • 1
5y
Pershing ROI , what's your opinion? Comment below:

Who would be the Dothraki Horde?

"All men are alike in their dreams, and all men are alike in the promises they make. The difference is what they do."— Jean Baptiste Moliere
5y
GiveMeAShot , what's your opinion? Comment below:

The question then becomes what is the Battle of the Bastards and what is the Red Wedding?

Does the Tiger fire the Monkey? Does the Tiger transfer the Monkey to another branch?
  • 1
5y
tutran , what's your opinion? Comment below:

good read!

“If you're afraid - don't do it, if you're doing it - don't be afraid!” ― Genghis Khan
2y
DanutsMorks , what's your opinion? Comment below:

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6mo
Dragon girl , what's your opinion? Comment below:

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  • Associate 1 in IB-M&A
5mo

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5mo
anon12343 , what's your opinion? Comment below:

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