• Bloomberg, Wednesday, September 29, 2010 10:03 AM

Matthew Boyle writes that some analysts are questioning whether Denise Morrison is the right choice to succeed Douglas R. Conant when he steps down as CEO of Campbell Soup next year. Morrison, who currently runs the under-performing soup business, has been named evp, COO and heir apparent, effective Oct. 1.

"Putting the head of the soup business in charge of the company doesn't seem to be the way to go when you consider this is the business that appears to have most of the problems," says First Asset Investment Management's John Stephenson. "You could say the category is tough, so let's get some new blood in there," says Edward Jones & Co.'s Jack Russo. "But is she really new blood?"

Conant, who says his 10 years as CEO is plenty given the usual life span of four, personally recruited Morrison to both Campbell and Nabisco and says she "is an excellent candidate to lead the company forward." Morrison, who has also worked for Kraft, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble, says the job fulfills a lifetime quest.

"I am one of four girls and was inspired by my father to dream big," she tells Boyle. "Some girls want to be doctors, but I wanted to run a company."

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