(NEW YORK) — The Walt Disney Company announced on Tuesday that Josh D’Amaro will become the company’s next CEO in March, replacing current chief executive Bob Iger when he steps down from the role this year. Dana Walden will become the company’s president and chief creative officer.
D’Amaro, chair of Disney’s experiences unit, oversees a global network of theme parks and hotel resorts. He also leads the company’s cruise ships and consumer products, among other initiatives. D’Amaro formally takes over the CEO role on March 18 at Disney’s upcoming annual meeting.
“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” Iger said in a statement on Tuesday.
“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,” Iger added.
D’Amaro, 54, joined the company in 1998.
Walden is set to become the company’s president and chief creative officer, Disney said. Walden previously served as the head of Disney’s entertainment media, news and content businesses, including its streaming service.
Iger began his current tenure as CEO in 2022, after previously serving in the role from 2005 to 2020. He also served as chairman over that period. After stepping aside in 2020, Iger served as executive chairman and chairman of the board until 2021.
In a letter to shareholders in January, Disney Board Chairman James Gorman described management succession planning as a “top priority” for the company’s board of directors, according to a securities filing.
“Oversight of the process is led by our dedicated Succession Planning Committee, and all directors have actively participated in a rigorous and ongoing evaluation of potential successor candidates, including direct engagement, performance assessment and consideration of leadership capabilities aligned with the Company’s long-term strategy,” Gorman added.
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