Bank of America's next chief could be based in the Big Apple

Still reeling from jobs losses following Wells Fargo & Co.'s (WFC) purchase last year of ailing banking giant Wachovia, the city of Charlotte, N.C., could lose at least one other high-profile banker's job -- the chief executive's post at Bank of America Corp. (BAC). Having difficulty finding a replacement for embroiled CEO Kenneth Lewis, who will resign at the end of the year, BofA's board is broadening its candidate search by looking north -- to the Big Apple -- where the new CEO could be based.

BofA's board is concerned the pool of talent willing to move to the Southern city is too shallow, Bloomberg News reported, citing anonymous sources. Moving the search north is also acknowledgment that BofA's biggest units are no longer based in Charlotte, the news agency said, referring to the bank's hasty purchase last year of New York City-based investment bank Merrill Lynch & Co.