Disney names theme parks head Josh D’Amaro as new CEO

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Disney has chosen Josh D’Amaro, who currently leads their theme parks, to be their next CEO, ending a highly anticipated and closely followed leadership transition in the entertainment industry.

Josh D’Amaro, who has led Disney’s popular parks and experiences for six years, will now be responsible for guiding the entire company through a period of growing challenges.

D’Amaro will officially take over as chief executive next month, during the company’s shareholder meeting on March 18th.

Bob Chapek is taking over as CEO, replacing Bob Iger, who is stepping down after 20 years of successfully leading the company. Iger will remain involved to ensure a smooth transition and will officially leave Disney when his contract ends in December.

Dana Walden, a top leader at Disney Entertainment, is now the company’s President and Chief Creative Officer. She will oversee all creative endeavors for the company.

Bob Iger announced that Josh D’Amaro will be the next CEO, praising him as a strong leader with a natural feel for the Disney brand. Iger highlighted D’Amaro’s ability to connect with audiences and his dedication to successfully completing complex projects.

Bob D’Amaro, celebrating his 55th birthday this month, is the eighth person to lead the iconic company in its 102-year history.

Originally from Massachusetts and now living in Orange County, he’s a well-regarded figure in the financial world and a beloved personality among Disney enthusiasts. They see him as an enthusiastic and engaging advocate for all things Disney – from Mickey Mouse to Buzz Lightyear and beyond.

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Once James Gorman left Morgan Stanley after his retirement, he was looking for a significant new undertaking, and that turned out to be leading the process of finding Disney’s next CEO.

At Disney, D’Amaro is respected for his ability to bring people together, his deep understanding of the company’s unique environment, and his commitment to protecting its iconic brands.

Josh D’Amaro began his Disney career 27 years ago at Disneyland in California, starting in the accounting department. He consistently advanced, taking on roles in finance, business planning, and marketing. Eventually, he led both Disneyland and later the entire Disney World Resort in Florida.

In late 2019, he received a major promotion, taking on responsibility for all of the company’s theme parks, cruise lines, and the team of creative designers known as Imagineers.

He has experience creating both video games and products you buy in stores. He’s also managed large construction projects, like the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Avengers Campus areas at Disneyland. Currently, he’s leading a $60 billion expansion of cruise lines and theme parks, which includes building a new attraction in Abu Dhabi.

He’s now in charge of all of Disney and its 230,000 employees as the company navigates the shift to streaming and deals with the decline of its traditional cable TV business.

He also needs to find a way to use artificial intelligence without harming what makes Disney’s characters and stories special. Another difficulty is guiding Disney through the current, highly polarized political climate.

Investors on Wall Street reacted positively to the appointment. They had hoped D’Amaro would take over from Iger, and he won out over three other top executives: Walden, Alan Bergman who leads the movie studio, and Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN.

Josh D’Amaro’s promotion to CEO comes after a rocky six years for Disney, following the unsuccessful leadership transition to Bob Chapek. Chapek, who was D’Amaro’s former boss, was fired after less than three years, a time filled with challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, disagreements with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a dispute with actress Scarlett Johansson, and internal conflicts with other Disney leaders.

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For a hundred years, the Walt Disney Company has dramatically changed the world of entertainment, from creating popular theme parks to pioneering animation and children’s television.

Bob Iger came back in November 2022 to reassure investors and Disney employees. Over the past three years, he’s been focused on improving Disney’s performance by reducing expenses – including significant layoffs – and planning for the company’s long-term future. This has involved turning ESPN into its own streaming service, developing plans to expand the Disney parks, investing $1.5 billion in Epic Games (the creators of Fortnite) to strengthen Disney’s gaming division, and preparing for the recently announced change in leadership.

During a recent earnings call, CEO Bob Iger explained that while the company has been focused on resolving existing issues, they are also actively seeking ways to grow and expand their business both domestically and internationally.

Since James Gorman, the former head of Morgan Stanley, became Disney’s chairman in early 2025, planning for who will lead the company in the future has been a key focus for Disney’s board.

To prevent repeating past mistakes, the board of directors created a formal plan for choosing the next leader. They formed a committee, headed by Gorman, to thoroughly assess potential candidates. Gorman and the committee members met with each candidate to understand their skills, areas for improvement, and ideas for the company’s future.

The board’s succession committee included Gorman, Mary Barra (CEO of General Motors), Calvin McDonald (CEO of Lululemon Athletica), and Sir Jeremy Darroch, who previously led Sky broadcasting in the UK.

I was really impressed to hear how much time Bob Iger dedicated to guiding potential leaders, even during tough times. I remember when Jimmy Kimmel got temporarily pulled from ABC last September after some comments he made – Iger was right there, mentoring people through that whole crisis. It showed a lot about his commitment to developing talent, even when things were chaotic.

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Furor over Jimmy Kimmel exposes challenges for Bob Iger’s Disney successor

The recent suspension of Jimmy Kimmel highlights the significant difficulties the next CEO of Disney will face as the company looks for someone to replace Bob Iger.

Iger managed a difficult situation, facing criticism from political conservatives, including President Trump and the head of the Federal Communications Commission. Meanwhile, those who champion free speech were angry that Disney seemed willing to drop Kimmel to avoid conflict with the Trump administration.

Instead, Kimmel extended his stay through May 2027.

As a big Disney fan, I think one of the biggest hurdles for Bob D’Amaro will be following in Bob Iger’s footsteps. Iger really led Disney through a golden age, so D’Amaro has a lot to live up to!

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According to many industry watchers, Daniel D’Amaro is now a strong contender to become the next CEO of Disney, as current CEO Bob Iger plans to retire next year.

According to Bill Campbell, head of research at Paragon Intel, Bob Iger excelled at making big deals and building Disney’s global brand. Josh D’Amaro, on the other hand, is a skilled operator focused on maintaining Disney’s unique appeal and making its operations run more smoothly.

But Iger himself noted that the next CEO would have to chart a new path.

He explained during the February earnings call that in such a rapidly changing world, simply trying to maintain things as they are would be a mistake, and he’s confident his replacement will understand that.

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2026-02-03 17:02