Financial crisis in year 2008 has led to remarkable collapse in the history of investment banks. History reveals bankruptcy of large investment banks. For example: Lehman Brothers, rescue from bankruptcy of Merrill lynch, survival strategy of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley by converting to traditional bank holding to accept troubled asset relief program (TARP).
This crisis has led to criticism of business model followed by investment banks. Investment banking has come under various criticisms for vivid reasons like conflict of interest, over pay packages, participating in both sides of transactions. Investment banks are always questioned for enormous salaries paid to those who work in this sector. For example: Merill Lynch & Co. CEO Stanley O’Neal was paid USD 172 million as a pay package from 2003 to 2007. James Cayne of Bear Steams Co. with pay package of USD 161 million in 2008 before it was sold to JPMorgan Chase & Co.