The Walt Disney Company is likely to name its next Chief Executive Officer who will serve as a successor to current CEO Bob Iger, according to a report published this week.
The report, from the Los Angeles Times, says Disney is considering at least four internal candidates, including:
- Josh D’Amaro, the Chair of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
- Jimmy Pitaro, Chair of ESPN
- Dana Walden, co-Chair of Disney Entertainment
- Alan Bergman, co-Chair of Disney Entertainment
Of those four, D’Amaro is the leading candidate for the job, though the company could create a co-CEO role that sees D’Amaro and Walden share delegated duties. That would be similar to other entertainment companies like Netflix and Paramount, which have utilized co-CEO roles in the past.
Pitaro has previously downplayed his interest in leading the entertainment giant, saying he values his current role as the top executive at ESPN. The sports brand is part of a joint venture between Disney and Hearst Corporation, with Disney owning a majority stake. Disney operates ESPN’s digital platforms and streaming apps outright.
Iger served as Disney’s CEO from 2005 to 2020, when Bob Chapek was named to the role. After two years, Disney’s board did a surprise about-face, firing Chapek and reinstating Iger on a temporary basis.
Like similarly-positioned companies, Disney has tried to balance its traditional media business — film studios, content production and broadcast and cable networks — with its emerging streaming platforms like Disney Plus and Hulu. Its streaming businesses are seen as the long-term pipeline for content and media revenue, and some of its apps have already outpaced its traditional networks businesses, which are largely dependent on distribution fees charged to cable and satellite companies.
If the report published this week is true, the announcement of a new CEO or co-CEO structure would likely coincide with Disney’s next quarterly earnings report, which is scheduled to be released on February 2.
