Who Will Be Disney’s Next CEO?
Several factors are important in determining who will be the next CEO of Disney. These include their ability to lead the company’s growth, their reputation among investors and analysts, their background and experience, and their ability to take on a leadership role in the industry.
Josh D’Amaro
Having worked for Disney for more than twenty years, American businessman Josh D’Amaro is a familiar face to many Disney park enthusiasts. D’Amaro is the chairman of Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division, and he’s taking over the CEO position from former Chairman Bob Chapek.
D’Amaro started his career at Disney in 1998, and he’s been in several leadership roles across the company’s parks and resorts division. Previously, he held positions as a Vice President at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park and as the director of business planning and strategy development at the company’s global licensing division. He also served as Chief Financial Officer for Disney’s Consumer Products Licensing business.
Disney Parks has gotten a bad reputation in recent years. Guests are unhappy with the ticket-reservation system, and prices are rising. Some guests say that the Parks are unruly and unprepared to serve their needs. They are also unhappy about the way rides are falling apart.
Bob Iger
During Bob Iger’s tenure at Disney, the company grew to new heights. He made several key acquisitions, such as Marvel, Lucasfilm, and the ABC Group. He also built a reputation as a talent-friendly CEO. Iger is now back at Disney after a three-year hiatus.
In the new role, Iger will be charged with grooming a long-term successor. The company is undergoing a transformation, and he is expected to make some changes that will put the creative side of the business back on track.
The company recently passed $10 billion in global box office sales for the first time. This was largely due to higher ticket prices and increased guest spending. Despite these positives, the media division is still hurting.
One of Iger’s first moves was to talk about cost efficiency. He also discussed the company’s priority areas.
Trian Fund Management LP
Activist hedge fund Trian Partners has revealed that its founder Nelson Peltz is considering a seat on the Disney board. Peltz is a billionaire investor and is already on several public company boards, including those for Mondelez International, Proctor & Gamble and Heinz Company. Peltz defines his strategy as “operational activism,” meaning that he works to push underperforming companies to make improvements in order to boost long-term shareholder value.
Peltz is already on the board of Procter & Gamble and has served on boards of Mondelez International, Ingersoll-Rand and Heinz Company. He defines operational activism as “working with underperforming companies to help them achieve their goals.” He is currently looking for a board seat at Disney, where he could push for operational improvements and cost reductions.
Mayer & Staggs
Until this year, former Disney executive Kevin Mayer was considered the most likely candidate to become the next CEO. But, he left Disney after it became clear he would not get the job. He became the CEO of social media app TikTok.
After departing Disney, Mayer joined Access Industries, a private equity firm that has invested in companies such as Twitter and Uber. He also served as CEO of TikTok for a short period of time. He later joined billionaire Len Blavatnik’s Access Industries. He also had a stint as the head of strategy at Disney.
Former Disney executive Tom Staggs has also teamed up with Mayer. Staggs, a former chief financial officer and parks and resorts chairman, is currently serving as the CEO of an entertainment startup called Candle Media.
Josh Walden
Among the many names on the horizon, one that is catching the attention of media industry insiders is Josh Walden. This isn’t his first time at Disney, but he is stepping into a higher position at the company. Previously, Walden was at Fox. He is now the chairman of Disney’s General Entertainment Content group. He’s responsible for the company’s original entertainment programming. He’s also tasked with overseeing the production of nearly 200 titles across multiple platforms.
Walden was promoted to the position in June after Disney’s longtime CEO Peter Rice was fired. Walden was considered the successor to Rice. He took over Rice’s assignments, and his role within Disney didn’t change much. He’ll be responsible for ABC Entertainment and Disney Television Studios.
Walden has also been working closely with content creators, such as Liz Meriwether, who is executive producer of Hulu’s “The Dropout.” Meriwether and Murphy work together on Murphy-produced series for 20th Television and FX.
