1 Exhibit 23.4 CONSENT I, Sir John Browne, hereby consent to be named as a director of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in the Company's three registration statements on Form S-1 (including any and all amendments or supplements thereto), bearing File No. 333-74449, File No. 333-75213 and File No. 333-75321, respectively. Dated: 9 April, 1999 /s/ Sir John Browne --------------------------- Sir John Browne