BARCLAYS – which employs around 1,000 staff locally – is expected to announce a former leading figure in JP Morgan as its new boss.

Jes Staley, who was chief executive of JP Morgan’s Investment Bank, told the Daily Echo in 2011 that the global financial system had “rightfully drawn a lot of anger from the general public”.

Barclays is expected to appoint him to replace Antony Jenkins, who was sacked as its chief executive in July following lacklustre revenue growth and a flat share performance.

James E Staley, 58, spent 30 years with JP Morgan before moving in 2013 to the hedge fund BlueMountain Capital Management, where he became a managing partner.

His appointment would be seen as a sign that Barclays wants to renew its focus on investment banking after Mr Jenkins – a retail banker –toned down this side of the business in the aftermath of the Libor rate-fixing scandal.

Barclays employs around 1,000 people across Bournemouth and Poole, including branches and Barclays House in Poole.

Mr Staley is believed to have accepted an offer from Barclays, with the bank waiting for the appointment to be approved by regulators.

Mr Staley visited Bournemouth in 2011, when he was with JP Morgan and marking the bank’s 25 years in the town.

He said then: “We all have the challenge of being part of the global financial system which, on one level, has rightfully, drawn a lot of anger from the general public.”

But he said JP Morgan had “held its head high” during the financial crisis, serving its clients “with integrity and fairness”.

Boston-born Mr Staley was at one point thought to be in line to take over from Jamie Dimon as chief executive of JP Morgan. He is thought to have been shortlisted for the top job at Barclays in 2012, when Mr Jenkins was appointed.

Also thought to have been shortlisted for the Barclays post that time was his JP Morgan colleague Bill Winters, who became chief executive of Standard Chartered in June.

A statement from Barclays noted "press speculation" about Mr Staley.

It said: "The process of appointing a new group chief executive officer has not yet concluded and Barclays will provide a further update once that is complete."