Goldman Sachs last night took top honours in the third Financial News Awards for Excellence in Investment Banking, displacing last year's winner, Barclays Capital, to become European investment bank of the year. Lazard's outgoing chairman, Marcus Agius, walked away with European banker of the year.

Goldman and Barclays Capital beat JP Morgan into third place in the European investment bank of the year category. As well as scooping the top award, Goldman was also voted best equity capital markets house and best secondary equity house of the year.