Disney Names Josh D’Amaro As Its CEO
When Bob Iger returned as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company in late 2022 following the disastrous run of Bob Chapek, one of the biggest questions about his second run as CEO, was who was eventually going to replace him.
Over the past few years, there has been much speculation about who would take over as the head of the company and today, Disney has announced that Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro will become the new Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors made the decision on Monday, and Josh will take over the role next month, on March 18th 2026, which is when Disney will hold its annual meeting. The board will also appoint Josh to the role of director of the company following the closing of that annual meeting.
Josh D’Amaro has been working at Disney for 28 years, is a Disney veteran and is the architect of the largest global expansion in Disney Experiences’ history, and has led the segment to new heights financially, creatively, and in guest satisfaction.
James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors said in a statement regarding the new CEO:
“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. Throughout this search process, Josh has demonstrated a strong vision for the company’s future and a deep understanding of the creative spirit that makes Disney unique in an ever-changing marketplace. He has an outstanding record of business achievement, collaborating with some of the biggest names in entertainment to bring their stories to life in our parks, showcasing the power of combining Disney storytelling with cutting-edge technology. The Board believes he is exceptionally well prepared to guide this global company forward to serve our consumers around the world and create long-term value for shareholders.”
Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company added:
“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.”
Josh D’Amaro, incoming CEO of The Walt Disney Company added:
“I am immensely grateful to the Board for entrusting me with leading a company that means so much to me and millions around the world. Disney’s strength has always come from our people and the creative excellence that defines our stories and experiences. There is no limit to what Disney can achieve, and I am excited to work with our teams across the company and brilliant creative partners to honor Disney’s remarkable legacy while continuing to innovate, grow, and deliver exceptional value for our consumers and shareholders. I also want to express my gratitude to Bob Iger for his generous mentorship, his friendship, and the profound impact of his leadership.”
As part of the change in leadership, it was also announced that Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, which will also become effective on March 18th 2026.
As Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Walden has led Disney’s world-renowned, award-winning entertainment media, news, and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming businesses, including Disney+. In this new role – a historic first for the enterprise – Walden will report directly to D’Amaro and will ensure that storytelling and creative expression across every audience touchpoint consistently reflect the brand, engage audiences at scale, and advance core business objectives, while driving enterprise-wide initiatives and translating vision into action. Dana had been considered in the running to become the next CEO, so while she didn’t get the main job, she has still been given a promotion within the company, with Iger explaining:
“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. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated great knowledge about the many facets of our businesses and brands, and is very well prepared to be President and Chief Creative Officer.”
The current CEO, Bob Iger, will continue to serve as Senior Advisor and a member of the Disney Board until his retirement from the company on December 31st, 2026. James Gorman, also said regarding this change:
“On behalf of the entire Board, we extend our deepest gratitude to Bob Iger for his extraordinary leadership and dedication to The Walt Disney Company. The Board asked Bob to return as CEO in 2022 for two critical reasons. First, to lead the company through a challenging transition and ensure Disney was fit for purpose for the future. Second, to strengthen the leadership bench and to help develop candidates for the CEO transition. Bob has delivered on both priorities, while also guiding Disney through a transformative period with an ambitious strategy that has further strengthened its position as the world’s premier entertainment company. After nearly two decades leading Disney, the Iger era has been defined by enormous growth, an unyielding commitment to excellence in creativity and innovation, and exemplary stewardship of this iconic institution.”
Roger’s Take: After many years of speculation, it’s good to see Disney moving forward with its new CEO, as the return of Bob Iger was only supposed to be temporary. Josh has been working within the company for almost thirty years, so he understands how it operates, plus he’s been under the wing of Bob Iger for a couple of years, getting him ready for this role. Josh has been running the Disney theme parks and experiences division for years, which continues to be one of the main revenue streams for Disney. He also has a great stage presence, which will no doubt help keep Disney fans and stockholders engaged for years to come.
Promoting Dana Walden to the Chief Creative Officer also plays on her strengths of running the entertainment business, which feeds Disney+ with all of its excellent content. So this move feels like a great way of splitting some of the responsibility up across the two roles.
We are probably unlikely to see any major changes to Disney in the months and years ahead, as last time there was a CEO change, Bob Chapek tried to change too much internally, causing chaos while the company dealt with the impact of the pandemic and the shift to streaming. I suspect Josh will be much more cautious and keep the ship sailing in the same direction for a while, before making any adjustments. Ultimately, the effects of a new leader could impact on what content we see on Disney+ and in cinemas in the future, but for the short term, we probably won’t see any differences.
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