NEW YORK — KKR and Perella Weinberg Partners are in talks to hire members of Goldman Sachs Group’s U.S. principal-strategies group, said two people briefed on the negotiations.
Bob Howard, who heads the Goldman group in the U.S., is leading the discussions, said one of the people. Talks are in early stages and may fall apart before a deal is reached, said the people.
“Profitable traders marketing themselves as a group, rather than individually, is a better strategy,” said Gustavo Dol fino, senior managing director at Accretive Solutions, a New York-based executive-recruitment firm. “There will be more interest in them collectively as firms will be able to get more milk out of them.”
Goldman is disbanding its proprietary- trading business, one of the groups that makes bets with the firm’s own money, to comply with new U.S. rules aimed at curbing risk, two people with knowledge of the decision said last week. The rule changes allow asset managers, which invest money for clients, to hire experienced traders as they seek to diversify.
Officials for the three firms declined to comment. All are based in New York.
Goldman Sachs, Wall Street’s most profitable investment bank, plans to hold off on announcing the wind-down while the 65 to 70 members of the global unit seek new jobs, the people said, speaking anonymously because the discussions are confidential.
Some of the principal strategies group’s traders and support staff may get roles at Goldman, the people said.
