MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin nominated Wednesday the head of the country's financial regulator, Viktor Zubkov, for the post of prime minister.

The lower house of parliament could vote in the new premier on Friday, State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said.

Zubkov heads the Federal Financial Monitoring Service, and comes as an unexpected candidate following widely-circulated rumors that First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov would take the post.

The president dismissed Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov earlier Wednesday, following a request from the premier, and asked him to stay on as acting head of government until the lower house of parliament, the State Duma, votes in a new candidate.

First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Oleg Morozov said the new premier could later run for president. "It would be logical if the prime minister became a presidential candidate," he said, adding that other scenarios should not be ruled out.