One of Goldman Sachsâ?? top traders is leaving to join GLG Partners, Londonâ??s second biggest hedge fund.

The arrival of Driss Ben-Brahim, a partner and head of the emerging markets trading business at Goldman, will give New York-listed GLG a boost as its current star trader, Greg Coffey, is due to leave in October.

Mr Ben-Brahim is one of the highest-profile hires by a hedge fund, as bank traders at his level typically choose to launch their own firms rather than join an existing fund. Indeed, former colleague Mark McGoldrick, Goldmanâ??s ex-head of distressed and special situations investing in Asia, is expected to raise several billion dollars for a new hedge fund he is preparing.

Mr Ben-Brahim will take over the $1.2bn emerging markets special situations fund that is now run by Mr Coffey, according to people close to the hedge fund.