DEI isn’t dead after all: For the first time in more than two decades, the Walt Disney Co. is getting a CEO who is not named Bob. The board of directors for the Burbank-based entertainment giant today tapped Josh D’Amaro, a 28-year Disney veteran who has overseen the company’s theme parks division since 2020, to succeed Bob Iger as its next chief executive officer. D’Amaro will assume the new role in March, with Iger stepping down months earlier than originally planned.
D’Amaro’s appointment is not unexpected. He, along with Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, had long been considered a finalist for the top spot at the Mouse House, with numerous reports in recent months identifying him as the favorite. His decades of experience at Disney, plus the overall importance of theme parks to the company, were major assets as the board deliberated, and ultimately outweighed his one big weakness: No real experience making TV shows and movies. Both Iger and his predecessor, Michael Eisner, began their careers in network television and had extensive Hollywood connections before assuming the CEO perch. Perhaps to address that hole in his resume, Disney also said that Walden, a popular show-business veteran, will become president and chief creative officer at the company.
The company made sure to heap praise on both executives this morning. “Josh D’Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people – all of which make him the right person to take the helm as Disney’s next CEO,” said James Gorman, chairman of Disney’ board of directors, in a press release. Iger also added his two cents: “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.”
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Iger then showered the company’s new president and chief creative officer with compliments: “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.”
Today’s announcement marks the third time in six years Disney has named a CEO. In February 2020, just as the COVID pandemic was taking hold, Iger shocked the entertainment industry by announcing he was stepping down from the top spot after 15 years and handing the company over to another theme parks chief named Bob — specifically Bob Chapek, whose tenure running Disney ended up being brief and troubled. Chapek was forced out in November 2022, which is when the company named Iger CEO for the second time. While Iger initially said his second tour of duty would last just two years, in July 2023, Disney extended his contract again and said he would stick around through 2026. In fall 2024, Disney’s board of directors signaled it was finally serious about moving on from the Iger era(s), selecting James Gorman as its new chairman and announcing that it now planned to appoint a new CEO “in early 2026.” Mission accomplished!
