All Eyes on McD's New Leader <b></b>

Oak Brook, Illinois-After the successful turnaroundof its U.S. business, McDonald's Corp. faces a newchallenge-the sudden death of CEO Jim Cantalupo puts a youngand unproven leader in charge of the world's largest restaurantcompany.

Charlie Bell has risen impressively within McDonald's andhelped craft the strategy Cantalupo employed to revive its flaggingU.S. sales and performance. But after spending most of his careerin regional posts in his native Australia, the 43-year-old Bellmust prove himself quickly in a job he was elevated to ahead ofschedule.

Analysts and franchisees attending the McDonald's conventionin Orlando, Florida, where Cantalupo, 60, was stricken with a fatalheart attack, voiced confidence Bell will be able to keep thecompany on the upswing. Nonetheless, a 2.6 percent drop in thestock price showed shareholders have a wait-and-see outlook.

"As far as day-to-day operations, it's not going toaffect anything," said Stephen Dietz, who owns sixMcDonald's restaurants in Biloxi, Mississippi, and has beeninvolved with McDonald's for over 40 years. "Everything isgoing to go on like it has."

Independent consultant Dick Adams, a former McDonald'sfranchising executive, said the jury is out on Bell despite hisimpressive resume. "He's definitely a bright, dynamic,corporate climber," Adams said. "There's a generalsense that he'll go along with Cantalupo's agenda and plan,because he's one of the adopters of that plan." But hisimpact as CEO "remains to be seen." -AP