Disney names parks chief Josh D'Amaro to succeed CEO Bob Iger

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The Walt Disney Co. named parks main Josh D'Amaro to win Bob Iger arsenic CEO of the amusement company.

D'Amaro, who presently oversees Disney's taxable parks and dozens of its edifice hotels, volition instrumentality the helm of the institution connected March 18, 2026, the company said Tuesday. He volition pb a institution with much than $90 cardinal successful yearly gross and astir 185,000 employees worldwide, astatine a clip erstwhile it is struggling to pull overseas visitors to its taxable parks.

The determination connected Disney's adjacent CEO comes astir 4 years aft Iger returned to the company pursuing the departure of his erstwhile successor, Bob Chapek, aft a play marked by clashes, missteps and weaker fiscal performance.

When helium returned arsenic CEO successful 2022, Iger was tasked with cutting costs and restructuring Disney's concern to revive the company's finances. Part of that effort included slashing 7,000 jobs successful 2023, astir 3% of the media and amusement company's planetary workforce.

"We won't person the aforesaid play we had past time, that I tin guarantee you," Disney Chairman James Gorman said Tuesday successful an interview connected CNBC.

Disney formed a succession readying committee successful 2023 to research and vet candidates to regenerate Iger.

In Tuesday's statement, Iger said that D'Amaro has "an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a heavy knowing of what resonates with our audiences."

D'Amaro, 54, has held aggregate roles astatine Disney since joining the institution successful 1998, including successful finance, concern strategy, marketing, originative improvement and operations.

D'Amaro served arsenic president of Walt Disney World Resort earlier stepping successful arsenic president of Disney Experiences successful 2020, spearheading efforts astatine the company's taxable parks, cruises and resorts division. He is besides successful complaint of Disney's licensing business, which includes its concern with Epic Games.

In summation to D'Amaro's appointment, Disney said Tuesday it is tapping Dana Walden, the co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, to service arsenic president and main originative serviceman of Disney, effectual March 18.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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