SFO to recruit chief

City lawyers are among the front-runners to take over the post of director at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), following Rosalind Wright's announcement that she will be retiring from the role in April 2003.

An advertisement for the 137,000-a-year top fraud busting job was placed in this week's Sunday Times by City headhunters Norman Broadbent.

Nick Woolf, a director at Norman Broadbent who recruited Ms Wright, a barrister, to the role in 1997, said: 'Although there is no statutory requirement for the SFO director to be a lawyer, it is more than likely the next one will be, as all the previous ones have been.

We clearly need someone who understands criminal litigation and criminal justice, both on the prosecution and defence side.'

Mr Woolf continued: 'Over the next few weeks, we will be approaching people including litigation partners at law firms and those who specialise in white-collar crime to compile a suitable list.'

Media speculation has linked SFO assistant director Robert Wardle and head of investigation at the Financial Services Authority, Dan Waters, with the position.

A spokesman for the SFO said it was 'clearly looking for someone with a legal background' but declined to comment further as selection decisions were made 'outside the executive of the SFO'.

Andrew Towler