Nov. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Alejandro Cuadrado, a Latin America economist at Bank of America Corp. in New York, resigned a day after the bank brought back David Beker to head the region’s research group.

Cuadrado said in an e-mail that he’s leaving to “pursue new opportunities” after working at the bank for more than four years. He was an employee of Merrill Lynch & Co. when it was bought by Bank of America in January to help it avoid becoming a casualty of the global credit crisis that pushed rival Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. into bankruptcy. Cuadrado didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment.

Bank of America, the biggest U.S. bank by assets, rehired Beker to replace Felipe Illanes as chief Latin America economist. Beker returned to the bank after working at Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, where he managed emerging-market debt, North Carolina-based Bank of America said yesterday. Illanes joined the Rohatyn Group as a Latin America economist in September, Rohatyn spokesman Paul Caminiti said yesterday.

Bank of America spokeswoman Rinat Rond said she couldn’t confirm Cuadrado’s departure.

To contact the reporter on this story: Veronica Navarro Espinosa in New York at vespinosa@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 13, 2009 15:32 EST