Thursday, December 17, 2009

The Queen City's on fire

The announcement yesterday of Brian Moynihan as CEO of Bank of America in all likelihood puts to rest any fears of the bank leaving Charlotte anytime soon.

The bank's headquarters will remain here, Moynihan said in an interview, adding that his office will be in Charlotte. Moynihan's Boston ties had raised concerns about his commitment to Charlotte [according to the Observer].

"We're committed to maintaining everything we do for Charlotte," said Moynihan, a Boston-based executive who said he hadn't thought about where he will live yet. "It's just that simple."

The decision gives the bank's employees, including about 15,000 in Charlotte, a known commodity as their next leader. But the choice is also likely to agitate investors who wanted a fresh start and to raise questions about the bank's ability to attract a big-name CEO from outside the company.

This is the second bit of good/great economic news for Charlotte over the past couple of days. Appliance maker Electrolux announced earlier that its headquarters will move to Charlotte, employing close to 800 people.

Charlotte's new mayor, Anthony Foxx, said Moynihan told him Wednesday evening "very emphatically that Charlotte is and will remain the headquarters."

The two agreed to meet soon, Foxx said. ...

The city, which lost Wachovia's headquarters in last fall's financial implosion, has fretted about the potential for losing Bank of America since Lewis unexpectedly announced Sept. 30 that he would retire at the end of this year. ...

[Former Mayor Pat McCrory] called the headquarters announcements "a sign that Charlotte continues to be a competitive city for major corporations."

No comments: