Reed Elsevier said to be seeking successor for CEO

LONDON (Reuters) - Anglo-Dutch publisher Reed Elsevier (ELSN.AS)(REL.L) has begun searching for a successor to its long-serving chief executive, Crispin Davis, newspapers reported on Sunday.

The company has appointed headhunter Anna Mann to find a replacement for Davis, who is approaching 60, the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph said.

No one was available for comment at Reed Elsevier or at Mann's firm, MWM Consulting.

Reed is likely to look outside the company for its new chief executive as well as at internal candidates, the Sunday Telegraph said.

Citing company insiders, the Sunday Times said Andrew Prozes, the boss of legal information provider LexisNexis, was a strong candidate. LexisNexis Group is the largest and fastest growing part of Reed Elsevier, according to the unit's website.

Davis will retire sometime next year, the Telegraph said, citing people close to Reed.

(Reporting by Tom Bergin; Editing by Quentin Bryar)