The Walt Disney Company announced today that its Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Josh D’Amaro its new Chief Executive Officer. D’Amaro will replace Bob Iger as the head of the media giant, who has served as Disney CEO from 2005 to 2020 and then again from 2022 to 2026.
D’Amaro currently serves as Chairman of Disney Experiences, leading the company’s portfolio of theme parks and hotels. He has been with the company since 1998, when he began working at the Disneyland resort.
In a press release, Iger said of D’Amaro…
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.
The press release announcing D’Amaro’s promotion claims he has been “instrumental in expanding Disney’s iconic franchises through the creation of immersive, story-driven experiences at Disney’s theme parks, such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen.”
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This is not the first time Disney has announced a successor to Iger. In early 2020, he was replaced by Bob Chapek, who held D’Amaro’s job as head of theme parks prior to his appointment. Iger became Disney’s executive chairman — but then in the fall of 2022 the Disney board removed Chapek and brought back Iger as CEO following a disappointing earnings report and assorted other controversies during his tenure. Disney is obviously hoping for a smoother transition to a new leader this time.
D’Amaro will officially replace Iger at the company’s annual meeting on March 18. Iger plans to remain with Disney as a Senior Advisor and member of the board until he retires from the company at the end of 2026.
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Gallery Credit: Erica Russell