Sources inform ''Globes'' that Jacob Frenkel has been mentioned as a possible candidate for chairman of Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI). His name came up in conversation between Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Frenkel responded that he was "unaware of this".
The idea is that Frenkel, a former governor of the Bank of Israel, and well-known professor, would not be a controversial figure.
Frenkel, 66, was governor of the Bank of Israel in 1991-2000. He then joined Merrill Lynch, becoming chairman of Merrill Lynch International in 2002. He was appointed vice chairman of American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) in 2004, from which he announced his resignation last week.
Other possible candidates for the post are former Israel Securities Authority chairman Moshe Tery, and National Economics Council chairman Ori Yogev, a former budget director at the Ministry of Finance. Both men are believed to have a good chance at the job.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 22, 2009
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2009