Deutsche Bank chief Josef Ackermann has declined an approach to head Citigroup, underscoring its problems in finding a senior candidate from outside the US bank.
Ackermann was asked if he were interested in the post of chairman and chief executive at sub-prime-slammed Citigroup after Chuck Prince resigned.
However, the Financial Times, quoting someone familiar with the matter, has reported that he 'said he was not available'.
Deutsche Bank spokesman Alfredo Flores told AFP: 'As a matter of principle we do not have a comment on this.'
The report added that Citi directors and shareholders had been pressing the board to find a high-profile candidate from outside the bank who could restore confidence, but that several possible candidates had preferred not to apply.
Citigroup, the second biggest US bank, has been hit hard by the collapse of the US market for high risk home loans and may have to write off $15 billion in soured investments, including mortgage losses in coming months, a report by Goldman Sachs said on November 19.
Prince stepped down on November 5 as the bank revealed it was facing likely investment write-offs of between €8 billion and €11 billion.
