The Walt Disney Co., after a more than two-year saga, has landed on its next CEO: Josh D’Amaro, head of the company’s theme parks and consumer products division.
D’Amaro will take over the top job at Disney from current CEO Bob Iger, who cumulatively has served in the post for nearly two decades. The Disney board on Tuesday announced the selection of D’Amaro, currently chairman of Disney Experiences, capping the media giant’s extended and closely watched succession drama. The 10 board members, including Iger, unanimously approved D’Amaro’s appointment as CEO at a meeting Monday afternoon.
D’Amaro’s appointment as CEO will be effective as of Disney’s annual meeting on March 18. At that point, Iger will transition to serving as senior adviser and a member of the Disney board until his retirement from the company on Dec. 31, 2026.
In addition to D’Amaro, the other top candidate on the Disney board’s shortlist was Dana Walden, who is now co-chair of Disney Entertainment. Disney said Walden has been promoted to a new role — president and chief creative officer — also effective March 18. Walden will report directly to D’Amaro.
Iger said in a statement: “Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO. He has an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences, paired with the rigor and attention to detail required to deliver some of our most ambitious projects. His ability to combine creativity with operational excellence is exemplary and I am thrilled for Josh and the company.”
Regarding Walden’s new appointment, Iger commented, “Dana Walden is an excellent leader who commands tremendous respect from the creative community. Given that creativity is at the heart of everything Disney does, she is a wonderful choice to serve in this new leadership role. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated great knowledge about the many facets of our businesses and brands, and is very well prepared to be president and chief creative officer.”
(Excerpt) Read more in: Variety