UPDATE 1-Brazil's central bank nominates 3 new directors

(Adds background on new appointees)

SAO PAULO, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Brazil's central bank announced late on Friday that it would nominate two new directors among its staff.

The bank indicated Maria Celina Berardinelli Arraes as the director of foreign affairs, replacing Paulo Vieira da Cunha. It also nominated Alvir Alberto Hoffmann as the regulation director, replacing Paulo Sergio Cavalheiro.

Both of the outgoing directors asked to leave their posts for personal reasons, the bank said.

The bank also recommended Anthero de Moraes Meirelles as the administrative director, taking over one of the two posts now held by Antonio Gustavo Matos do Vale.

The central bank's nominations must by approved by the Senate.

"The new names are not known by the market but it's possible to say that there shouldn't be any change in the central bank policy, because you have people of weight continuing there, such as (Mario) Mesquisa (in economic policy)," said Roberto Padovani, chief economist at WestLB in Sao Paulo.

Arraes has worked at the central bank for 25 years in roles such as executive secretary. She has also worked at the International Monetary Fund as spokesperson for the executive director in Brazil.

Hoffmann has been at the central bank since 1978 in the area of regulations and has also worked at the International Monetary Fund in the area of finance and banking supervision.

Moraes Meirelles has been with the central bank since 1994.