Josh D'Amaro to Become New Disney CEO

Photograph of Josh D'Amaro and Dane Walden following the announcement that Josh would become Disney's CEO.

Today, Disney announced that Josh D'Amaro will succeed Bob Iger as the company's CEO. He will take over for Bob in March.

Josh has been at Disney for 28 years. He has held many different leadership positions, primarily in the consumer products and theme parks divisions. After these were combined in 2020, he began leading this organization. His other roles include president of Disneyland Park, vice President of Animal Kingdom, president of Adventures by Disney, and CFO of Disney Consumer Products.

While Josh has a backgorund in finance, he is known among Disney fans for being aware of the Disney brand and it's strengths. He is well known for spending time with boots-on-the-ground. It has been common to hear about park fans seeing him wandering the parks. While this doesn't mean that he will put guests' needs first, it does indicate that he's interested in getting an accurate picture of what's going on there.


It is important to note that his leadership in Disney Parks goes back from than 10 years, so he was likely part of the discussion for many of the recent changes in the parks - immersive lands based on a single IP, the end of FastPass and the rise of Lightning Lane, tiered pricing for park tickets, and requirements for park reservations. While these were not necessarily his ideas, he was part of the discussion and implementation of these new approaches. He has also been leading the Disney Experiences group through the most recent financial reports, which have been saying that attendance is down, but profits are up.

My view of Josh D'Amaro is that he is good at a deliberate and balanced approach. As a for-profit company, Disney executives and leaders have a responsibility to their share holders. They need to generate profits for the company, and ensure that there is a steady stream of profits due in the future. Josh certainly has worked toward those goals. Rising ticket prices and the expensive Lightning Lane Premier Pass both happened on his watch. However, he does also balance guest experience. He has led the Experiences group through the beginnings of the $10 billion investment in par improvements that Disney is working toward. He is also leading through the changes to Galaxy's Edge that will allow more Star Wars characters and updates and additions to each of the Disney parks. He seems to view creativity and show as an investment: he knows it can be expensive, but he also knows that if you build it right, the investment will pay off. He seems to be avoiding the California Adventure approach, which is to build it cheap the first time, and then come back to fix it later.

In addition to Josh's new role, Dana Walden will be taking over the role of Chief Creative Officer for the corporation. Dana's current position is as co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, where she was responsible for streaming and television.

Speaking of the change, Josh stated:

“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.”

This change marks Bob Iger's second exit from the the role of Disney CEO. His time as CEO was marked by growth and acquisition - He led the development and opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland, drove the acquisitions of Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Fox,  and large expansions to the Disney Cruiseline. These investments have been about making sure that Disney has the right resources for growth in-house, rather than having to rely on third party companies.

With all that growth, the company's focus has become more broad. Josh's approach, on the other hand, will likely focus on strengthen Disney as a brand in the minds of the customers. Speaking of the change, Bob said:

“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.”

“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.”

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