Senior Barclays Official Rules Himself Out as Next Chairman LONDON - Barclays may find it tough to replace its top executives, as it continues to deal with the fallout from the rate-manipulation scandal. Michael Rake, the British bank's deputy chairman, has ruled himself out as the next chairman, according to a regulatory filing on Monday. The announcement raises new questions about the future leadership of Barclays. The bank's chief executive, Robert E. Diamond Jr., and chairman, Marcus Agius, have resigned after a rate rigging case. New executives will face the tough task of restoring the bank's reputation. In recent months, shareholders have blasted the company over its compensation and governance. The concerns over leadership reached a frenzied pitch in recent weeks, after Barclays agreed to a $450 million settlement with American and British officials in connection to a wide-ranging inquiry into the London interbank offered rate, or Libor. According to regulators, the bank submitted false rates to improve profits and deflect scrutiny about its financial position. Shareholders may prefer an outsider to lead the British bank. Potential internal candidates, such as Mr. Rake and Rich Ricci, the bank's current head of its investment banking unit, were part of Barclays" senior leadership when the rate manipulation occurred. Mr. Rake, who was previously chairman of the global accounting firm KPMG, also serves as the chairman of the low-cost airline EasyJet and the telecommunications company BT Group.