Key Points
- Disney named Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, as its next CEO, succeeding Bob Iger effective March 18.
- D’Amaro, a Disney veteran since 1998, will lead the company as it spends tens of billions expanding its parks and cruise fleet globally.
- Dana Walden will take on the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer, a historic first for the company.
The Walt Disney Company has announced Josh D’Amaro, the Chairman of Disney Experiences, as the success to Bob Iger for the role of Chief Executive Officer.
The succession announced on Tuesday will officially take place on March 18, the same day as Disney’s annual shareholder meeting, the company affirmed in a press release.
Dana Walden, who previously led Disney’s entertainment media, news and content businesses, will assume the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer — a designation the company described as a “historic first.”
D’Amaro joined Disney in 1998 and has overseen the company’s global network of theme parks, hotel resorts, cruise ships and consumer products since 2020. His elevation to the top job underscores the growing importance of Disney’s experiences business to the company’s overall strategy.
Disney is currently spending tens of billions of dollars to expand its parks and cruise fleet, including a planned resort destination in Abu Dhabi — its first new theme park in 15 years — as demand for in-person experiences continues to rise.
“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” Iger said in a statement. “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.”
Iger first served as CEO from 2005 to 2020 before returning to the role in 2022 after a brief and turbulent tenure by his successor, Bob Chapek. The board’s selection of D’Amaro caps a rigorous succession process that Disney Board Chairman James Gorman described as a “top priority” in a January letter to shareholders.
Gorman noted that all directors had actively participated in evaluating potential candidates through direct engagement, performance assessments and consideration of leadership capabilities aligned with the company’s long-term strategy.
On CNBC Tuesday morning, Gorman said that while Iger felt he could continue in the role through the end of the year, he had developed the leadership talent needed to step aside sooner rather than later.
Walden’s new position will place her reporting directly to D’Amaro, with responsibility for ensuring that storytelling and creative output across every audience touchpoint reflects the Disney brand, engages audiences at scale and advances the company’s core business objectives.
Iger will remain on as a Senior Adviser and board member until the end of his contract on December 31.
