Bear Stearns wants to hire up to 100 brokers as it expands its private client business in the US and Europe.

Sam Molinaro, chief financial officer, said after the bank's record first-quarter results last week that, if all goes to plan, it could hire 20 to 30 brokers for its new European operation. Bear Stearns also wants to hire another 70 to 80 staff in the US as part of expansion plans started last year.