Pair urges Disney CEO search

LOS ANGELES -- The leaders of the effort to oust Michael Eisner as chief executive of Walt Disney Co. have called on the company's board to reject Eisner's offer to retire in 2006 and his pick of president Robert Iger as his successor.

Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold said yesterday they will propose an alternate slate of directors if Disney's board does not launch an immediate search for a new chief executive and say that Eisner will step down from the board at the conclusion of the search.

The two former board members said a new chief executive should be in place before Disney's next shareholder meeting in early 2005.

Eisner said Friday that he intends to retire as chief executive when his contract expires in September 2006.

He did not say whether he would seek to remain on Disney's board.

Yesterday, Roy Disney and Gold called Eisner's pledge ''mere window dressing" and said ''there is no acceptable solution that includes Mr. Eisner's continued leadership at Disney for the next two years -- let alone any longer than that."

A Disney company spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Disney shares rose 16 cents to $23.32 on the New York Stock Exchange.