Goldman Sachs wants to hire in wealth and asset management units

Goldman Sachs is looking to make fresh hires in its asset and wealth management units as it continues to expand the businesses, according to the bank's international chief. 

"Our asset, wealth management business, broadly defined, is a huge focus for us, and so that will receive significant attention," Richard Gnodde said in an interview with Bloomberg Television from the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Growth in these units helped boost the bank's recent fourth-quarter earnings, with revenue from the divisions climbing 23% and topping estimates. Management fees contributed the biggest chunk as the bank highlighted what it hopes will be predictable growth in those fees, helping counterbalance a pullback in principal investments.

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"Naturally we bring people in to drive certain pockets," Gnodde said, adding that graduate hiring at the bank was also continuing as usual "to continue to feed the machine."

His comments on hiring come after a period of restraint at Goldman Sachs, which last year implemented a plan to cut about 3,200 positions, or 6.5% of its headcount. 

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Gnodde was also optimistic about Japan as a source of growth for the bank and said there was "a lot of enthusiasm" surrounding the world's third largest economy. "It's going to be an important market to focus on," he said, as he also praised India as "terrific."