10 Names Surface For CBS CEO Gig

Former Walt Disney Co. Chief Operating Officer Tom Staggs has emerged as a top candidate to become CBS Corp.’s new chief executive, reports The Wall Street Journal citing people familiar with the matter, as the network tries to move past months of uncertainty and upheaval since the departure of Leslie Moonves over allegations of sexual harassment.

Tom Staggs

The interest in Staggs has been informally conveyed to the executive, who left Disney in 2016 when it became clear he wouldn’t succeed Robert Iger as Disney ’s chief executive, the people said.

Staggs is first on the list—which includes about 10 people—“by a reasonably wide margin,” one of the people said.

Wooing him could be challenging. When he was approached weeks ago, Mr. Staggs expressed reservations but remained open to further discussions, people close to the parties said.

Other potential candidates for the CEO position include Hasbro Inc. CEO and CBS director Brian Goldner and Starz Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Hirsch, a person close to the process said. Goldner’s contract with Hasbro expires in 2022, and a non-compete agreement prevents him from moving to an entertainment company that is primarily directed toward children and families.

CBS interim CEO Joe Ianniello is also a candidate. CBS interim Chairman Strauss Zelnick took himself out of consideration earlier this month.

The CEO search comes in the aftermath of busted merger talks between CBS and its sister media company Viacom Inc. Shari Redstone, president of National Amusements Inc., the controlling shareholder of CBS and Viacom, has previously pushed for a merger. Earlier this year, she agreed to not seek a combination as part of a settlement with CBS, which had moved to break free of National Amusements.

If the two companies do combine, that would seemingly force either Viacom CEO Bob Bakish or the new chief of CBS to relinquish their title.