HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) - In a Hong Kong transformed by China's crackdown on everything from political dissent to the media and judiciary, picking a new top boss for the financial hub's stock exchange is proving difficult. Charles Li announced his intention to quit as head of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) more than a year before his contract ended amid strained relations with chairman Laura Cha, according to people familiar with the matter. Ms Cha was put off by his free-wheeling style, which led him to sometimes not inform the board of important issues at an early stage, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. More than seven months later and days before Mr Li formally steps down on Dec 31, the committee has yet to settle on a permanent replacement. It's split between prioritising a candidate who can operate with confidence in China or one with a strong international background, the people said. Ms Cha, who's well connected in China and close to Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, sees the bourse's role as serving Bejing's interests and avoiding competition with the mainland's exchanges, one of the people said. Mr Li had seemed to thread th...