Lex Hoogduin, an executive director at The Netherlands Bank, is the favourite to succeed Nout Wellink, its current president, when Wellink's term expires next July.

Hoogduin, responsible for the key stability and markets portfolios, has been touted as the next head following Dutch finance minister Jan Kees de Jager's proposal to impose a two-term limit on the presidency, put forth last Tuesday.

The proposal is expected to pass into law soon, bringing Wellink's reign to an end when his second