KIEV (REUTERS) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko nominated Valeria Hontareva, a political ally and an experienced banker respected in business and investment circles, as the new head of the central bank on Wednesday, the parliamentary website said.

Hontareva, whose nomination has to be approved by parliament, was named by Poroshenko to replace Stepan Kubiv.

Hontareva has 20 years of experience in Ukrainian banking and finance. Since December 2007, she has worked as chairman of the board of the Ukrainian investment company ICU and immediately before that worked in senior roles in the Ukrainian division of ING bank.