Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Ken Lewis was approached by three former Merrill Lynch executives this year to discuss buying back some or all of their old company, but he politely rebuffed them, the Financial Times reported on its website. Dan Tully, former Merrill CEO, Launny Steffens, former head of Merrill's private client business, and Winthrop Smith Jr, son of one of Merrill's co-founders, met Lewis in Charlotte, North Carolina, about two months ago to float the idea, Smith told the newspaper.

The meeting was also attended by Dan Sontag, head of Bank of America Merrill Lynch's global wealth management business, according to the paper.

Bank of America declined to comment to the paper.

Reuters attempts to contact Bank of America after U.S. business hours were unsuccessful.

Bank of America completed the acquisition of Merrill Lynch in January.

(Reporting by Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore, Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

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