Goldman Sachs has appointed Marc Spilker as new leader for its alternative management business.

Mr Spilker will leave the firm's securities division, where he was co-head of US equities trading and global head of volatility trading, to lead its global alternative asset management business, which includes hedge funds and private equity investments.

He will report to Eric Schwartz and Peter Kraus, co-heads of Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

Mr Spilker has worked at Goldman Sachs for more than 16 years and has been a partner since 1996.

His appointment follows a 78 per cent fourth quarter fall in asset-management incentive fees, after poor hedge fund performance.