March 7 (Reuters) - Hedge fund LMR Partners has hired

ex-Goldman Sachs ( GS ) trader Mike Severo and Vitol's Jordan

Valer, several sources familiar with the matter said this week.

Severo was a managing director for Goldman, based in New

York, while Houston-based Valer traded oil derivatives for

Vitol, their LinkedIn profiles showed.

Severo and Valer did not immediately respond to requests for

comment.

LMR did not respond to a request for comment. Goldman Sachs ( GS )

and Vitol declined to comment.