The 190 partners of the giant US investment bank, Goldman Sachs, will gather at an exclusive resort in New York state today to discuss whether to take the firm public, giving it greater muscle to make acquisitions.

Goldman's capital totalled $6.3 billion (£4.5 billion) at the end of February but it has been estimated to be worth $25 billion in a flotation - with senior partners set for a windfall of $200 million each. Among them is a former attorney general, EU commissioner and head of the World Trade Organisation, Mr Peter Sutherland, who is currently chairman of Goldman Sachs International and one of the most senior partners.