MCI Names Nancy Higgins As Chief Ethics Officer

Former Lockheed Martin Executive Brings A Decade of Experience in Ethics and Business Conduct Oversight ASHBURN, Va., October 14, 2003 - MCI (WCOEQ, MCWEQ) today announced the appointment of Nancy Higgins as executive vice president of Ethics and Business Conduct and Chief Ethics Officer reporting to Chairman and CEO Michael Capellas. Higgins most recently served as vice president, Ethics and Business Conduct for Lockheed Martin. She will oversee MCI's global ethics program and will be based in the company's corporate headquarters in Ashburn, Va., starting today. "Nancy brings a rare combination of direct experience in developing and overseeing large-scale ethics programs, a proven 10-year track record for creating best practices and, most importantly, an absolute passion for the job," said Capellas. "MCI strives to be a model of good corporate governance with best-in-class ethics compliance. We are thrilled to welcome Nancy as the latest addition to MCI's new executive leadership team." MCI has taken significant steps to build a culture centered on ethics and integrity, including:

• Ethics Training for MCI's 55,000 U.S.-based employees and contractors conducted in conjunction with New York University and the University of Virginia
• The Company's Code of Ethics & Business Conduct, enhanced and distributed to all employees
• A "Zero-Tolerance Policy" dictating that any suspected violation of MCI's Code of Ethics and Business Conduct will be fully investigated and dealt with immediately
• A confidential Ethics Hotline that allows employees to raise ethics or business conduct concerns
• An Ethics Pledge signed by the company's top 100 executives committing to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity, as well as transparency in financial reporting
• A new set of 10 "Guiding Principles" designed to serve as the foundation for MCI's environment of ethical conduct and corporate transparency

"I'm proud to have the opportunity to play a key role in the development and implementation of MCI's ethics and corporate governance initiatives," said Higgins. "I have spent a significant portion of my professional career designing and implementing ethics programs and I look forward to building on the solid foundation already put in place by MCI's new management team." During her tenure at Lockheed Martin, Higgins was credited with revitalizing an established business ethics program, including enhancements to meet new requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley and SEC rules. Prior to that, Higgins was a senior corporate attorney with The Boeing Company, where she managed complex litigation, conducted major internal investigations, counseled the Board of Directors on special litigation matters, provided legal support to the company ethics and self-governance functions, and served as director of Corporate Ethics Policy. She headed Boeing's first company-wide Ethics and Business Conduct organization, which had a charter to develop a values-based ethics and compliance oversight program. Higgins also designed the ethics program for the new company formed from Boeing's acquisition of McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Higgins received her bachelors degree from Western Washington State University, graduating with honors in 1973. She earned her law degree in 1976 from the University of Washington School of Law. Higgins also successfully completed an Advanced Management Programme in 1998 from INSEAD, the international business school in Fontainebleau, France. About WorldCom, Inc.
WorldCom, Inc. (WCOEQ, MCWEQ), which currently conducts business under the MCI brand name, is a leading global communications provider, delivering innovative, cost-effective, advanced communications connectivity to businesses, governments and consumers. With the industry's most expansive global IP backbone, based on the number of company-owned POPs, and wholly-owned data networks, WorldCom develops the converged communications products and services that are the foundation for commerce and communications in today's market. For more information, go to http://www.mci.com.