IBM veteran Dominique Cerutti is favourite to take over from retiring Nyse Euronext deputy chief executive Jean-Francois Theodore, according to French daily L'Agefi.
Theodore - also chairman of Nyse Euronext Technology - is set to retire at the end of the year. He became deputy CEO of the transatlantic exchange following the merger of Nyse and Euronext in 2007. Previously he was CEO and chairman of the managing board of Euronext.
Citing sources, L'Agefi says IBM's managing director for South and Western Europe, Cerutti, is the preferred candidate to replace Theodore ahead of a vote at an upcoming board meeting.
The paper's sources say Nyse Euronext considers it "important" that Theodore's successor is French but say the exchange's American hierarchy does not want someone too close to the "Parisian establishment".
Succession presque bouclée chez Nyse Euronext - L'Agefi