President George W. Bush has chosen Robert Zoellick, a one-time U.S. trade representative and former No. 2 official at the State Department, to lead the World Bank, a senior administration official said on Tuesday.

Bush is to announce his decision on Wednesday.

Zoellick would succeed Paul Wolfowitz, who is stepping down June 30 after a special bank panel found that he broke bank rules when he arranged a hefty compensation package in 2005 for his girlfriend, bank employee Shaha Riza. The controversy prompted calls from Europeans, the bank's staff, aid groups, Democratic politicians and others for Wolfowitz to resign.

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Zoellick's selection has received positive reactions from other nations, and the White House expects Zoellick will be accepted by the World Bank executive board, the senior administration official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because Bush has not formally announced the selection.