Disney's Theme Park Chief Josh D'Amaro to Become Next CEO in Unanimous Board Vote
A highly anticipated transition is underway at The Walt Disney Company as its nearly three-year search for a successor to legendary CEO Bob Iger finally comes to an end. On February 3, Disney announced that Josh D'Amaro, the company's theme park chief since 2020, will take over as CEO after a unanimous board vote. He will assume the role on March 18, when the company is scheduled to hold its annual shareholder meeting, and will also join the company's board.
D'Amaro's appointment was hinted at during Disney's quarterly earnings call yesterday, where Iger mentioned a "probable transition." Reports had also been circulating that D'Amaro's appointment was imminent. The 54-year-old executive has been instrumental in driving the success of Disney's theme park business, generating a record $10 billion in revenue for the company last quarter.
D'Amaro joined Disney in 1998 at the Disneyland Resort and has held various leadership roles within the company, including chief financial officer, vice president of Animal Kingdom, and president of both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. In 2020, he was appointed chairman of Disney Experiences, overseeing a $60 billion expansion initiative to grow attractions, cruise ships, and guest experiences worldwide.
Under D'Amaro's leadership, Disney has made significant strides in innovation and strategic growth. His hands-on approach, which involves frequently visiting parks and engaging with frontline employees and guests, has been praised by the company. However, his appointment also raises questions about how he will navigate the challenges facing the company's television and film businesses.
Disney's streaming division, for example, is still working to turn a profit despite significant investment in content creation. The competition from rival streaming services and rising content costs pose significant challenges that D'Amaro will need to address as CEO. Despite these concerns, Disney Chairman James Gorman described D'Amaro as the right person to lead the company forward.
As CEO, D'Amaro will be tasked with expanding Disney's streaming services, completing the rollout of a standalone ESPN platform, and forging partnerships that push the company's vast library of characters into new digital and interactive frontiers. With his experience in driving business growth and innovation, D'Amaro is well-positioned to lead Disney into an exciting new chapter under his leadership.
A highly anticipated transition is underway at The Walt Disney Company as its nearly three-year search for a successor to legendary CEO Bob Iger finally comes to an end. On February 3, Disney announced that Josh D'Amaro, the company's theme park chief since 2020, will take over as CEO after a unanimous board vote. He will assume the role on March 18, when the company is scheduled to hold its annual shareholder meeting, and will also join the company's board.
D'Amaro's appointment was hinted at during Disney's quarterly earnings call yesterday, where Iger mentioned a "probable transition." Reports had also been circulating that D'Amaro's appointment was imminent. The 54-year-old executive has been instrumental in driving the success of Disney's theme park business, generating a record $10 billion in revenue for the company last quarter.
D'Amaro joined Disney in 1998 at the Disneyland Resort and has held various leadership roles within the company, including chief financial officer, vice president of Animal Kingdom, and president of both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. In 2020, he was appointed chairman of Disney Experiences, overseeing a $60 billion expansion initiative to grow attractions, cruise ships, and guest experiences worldwide.
Under D'Amaro's leadership, Disney has made significant strides in innovation and strategic growth. His hands-on approach, which involves frequently visiting parks and engaging with frontline employees and guests, has been praised by the company. However, his appointment also raises questions about how he will navigate the challenges facing the company's television and film businesses.
Disney's streaming division, for example, is still working to turn a profit despite significant investment in content creation. The competition from rival streaming services and rising content costs pose significant challenges that D'Amaro will need to address as CEO. Despite these concerns, Disney Chairman James Gorman described D'Amaro as the right person to lead the company forward.
As CEO, D'Amaro will be tasked with expanding Disney's streaming services, completing the rollout of a standalone ESPN platform, and forging partnerships that push the company's vast library of characters into new digital and interactive frontiers. With his experience in driving business growth and innovation, D'Amaro is well-positioned to lead Disney into an exciting new chapter under his leadership.
just thinking about d'a maro taking over as ceo makes me wonder if disney's focus on streaming will ever catch up with their theme park success 
hopefully he can bring some innovation to their tv and film sides too 
i mean, 10 billion in revenue for one quarter? that's wild! but at the same time, im a bit worried about how he'll handle the tv and film side of things. disney's got some big shoes to fill with all those streaming services out there trying to eat their lunch 
fingers crossed he can make it work tho
I'm low-key hyped! he's been with disney for ages and has done an amazing job with the theme parks. like, who wouldn't want to be in charge of making magic happen for all those guests every day? 
... he was a legend! But Josh D'Amaro's the real deal now 
. I remember being amazed by the theming and the rides... it's cool that they're bringing that same excitement to the next gen of Disney fans 
. I mean, we've got so many options now – Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+... it's like trying to choose a favorite flavor of ice cream 
. And don't even get me started on those rising content costs 
.
. He seems like a hands-on leader who knows how to drive growth... and that's exactly what Disney needs right now 
. Bring it on, Josh!
guess all that billion dollar investment was for nothing 
. I mean, can you believe it's been 3 years since Bob Iger left? It feels like just yesterday he was running the show and now he's off to a new adventure! D'Amaro has done an amazing job with the theme parks, that $10 billion in revenue is insane 
. Guess we'll just have to wait and see if D'Amaro can bring that magic back to TV & film 
.
His experience in driving growth and innovation is definitely an asset, and it'll be interesting to see how he tackles those TV and film business challenges 
. But seriously, this is gonna be interesting to watch how he navigates the TV and film side of things... fingers crossed they don't cancel The Mandalorian 
. On one hand, Josh D'Amaro has been doing a great job with the theme park business and has some awesome experience under his belt 
? Or what if he prioritizes the theme park business over the rest of the company's operations? We don't know enough about him yet to be sure 
.
!