WorldCom Eyes BellSouth Exec for Top Job

Hunting for a new leader, WorldCom has dialed up BellSouth's (BLS Quote) No. 2 executive, a person familiar with the CEO search says.

Gary Forsee, a former Sprint executive who is now vice chairman and head of BellSouth's U.S. business, could take over the top WorldCom job as early as December, say people knowledgable about the search. The change could take place once auditors and creditors are satisfied that WorldCom's fraud-plagued books have been sufficiently cleansed.

WorldCom launched a search for a new chief after current CEO John Sidgmore bowed to pressure from the company's creditors, many of whom are looking to clear the deck of WorldCom hands. Sidgmore, a former vice chairman, replaced founder Bernie Ebbers last summer. Since then the company has revealed more than $7 billion worth of accounting misdeeds. WorldCom is currently working with its creditors' committee and the bankruptcy court trustee toward a restructuring. ...