The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has confirmed it has begun its hunt for a successor to current chief executive Dame Clara Furse.
A newspaper report over the weekend suggested Dame Clara was planning to step down after eight years of leadership.
The Sunday Telegraph said the firm had hired a City headhunter to begin the search for her replacement.
It added Dame Clara may stay beyond the end of next year, with no formal timetable for her departure.
However, the LSE claimed its chief executive will remain with the company at least until Borsa Italiana, which the company bought last year, has been fully integrated.
The LSE said: "Clara has been with the exchange for eight years and it's natural that the board is thinking about succession planning."
The LSE has fought off several hostile takeover bids over the last few years and has faced competition from new trading platforms.
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