Rolet has left Schwimmer some big shoes to fill

GOLDMAN Sachs may have lost four of its five alumni advising the Trump White House, but its influence this side of the Pond continues apace.

David Schwimmer’s appointment to that most political of corporate roles, head of the London Stock Exchange, continues the tradition of a Goldmanite in the job.

Doubtless, like his daftly ousted predecessor Xavier Rolet, Schwimmer’s a brainy chap.

But he has his work cut out if he’s to be as successful.

Somehow, he has to keep the LSE growing as it faces more competition than ever from foreign exchanges in Asia, and the old enemies in the US.

He’s also arriving amid a growing trend for companies to raise money privately, steering clear of the public stock exchanges altogether.

In the US alone, $2.4 trillion

(£1.7 trillion) was raised through private placements last year.

Rolet grew the LSE through canny acquisitions, but he’s left few for his predecessor now to do. The political hit-job on the Deutsche Börse merger put the kybosh on the most sensible one.

Instead, Schwimmer may find the LSE is itself a takeover target.

New York Stock Exchange owner ICE is a potential predator. Being a former commodities guy, Schwimmer doubtless knows them well.

Sir Chris Hohn, the activist investor who agitated for Rolet’s reinstatement, favours such a deal.

Schwimmer’s role at Goldman has given him deep knowledge of the infrastructure of world markets.

That will be vital as he works through the nuts and bolts of postBrexit trading, if not the stuff of scintillating dinner party chat.

And there’s the rub with this appointment. At first blush,