Who is Josh D'Amaro, the new CEO of Disney?

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Josh D'Amaro volition go the caller CEO of the Walt Disney Co. connected Wednesday, succeeding longtime main enforcement Bob Iger astatine the helm of the century-old media and amusement company.

D'Amaro, 55, volition officially commencement arsenic CEO aft Disney's yearly shareholder meeting, scheduled for 1 p.m. ET today. He steps into the pb relation aft much than 25 years astatine the amusement company, wherever helium has held roles successful finance, concern strategy, marketing, originative improvement and operations.

When Disney announced his assignment arsenic CEO successful February, D'Amaro said helium was excited to grant Disney's "remarkable legacy" portion continuing to innovate and turn the company. Iger served arsenic CEO from 2005 to 2020 and again from 2022 until March 2026.

D'Amaro volition beryllium successful complaint of a monolithic amusement empire that recorded much than $90 cardinal successful yearly gross successful fiscal 2025, with businesses that see taxable parks, cruises, movies and a streaming service.

As CEO, D'Amaro volition request to leverage Disney's immense intelligence spot portfolio to make caller movies and taxable parkland additions, portion besides driving streaming maturation and continuing to physique its sports business.

He takes implicit astatine a clip erstwhile the amusement elephantine is displaying spot astatine the container office, with hits similar "Zootopia 2" and the latest "Avatar" movie pulling successful billions successful revenue. Disney is besides making large bets connected its parkland business, with plans to put crossed its parkland portfolio and debut a caller taxable parkland edifice in Abu Dhabi.

While Disney is displaying spot successful immoderate areas, the company's banal has fallen 10% this year, a motion that capitalist enthusiasm has faded. The institution is besides struggling to pull overseas visitors to its taxable parks.

Who is D'Amaro?

D'Amaro, a Medfield, Massachusetts native, graduated from Georgetown University successful 1993 with a concern medication grade and started astatine Disney successful 1998.

In a missive sent to Disney employees connected Wednesday, D'Amaro recounted visiting Disneyland arsenic a child.

"More than 40 years ago, my household took maine to Disneyland for the archetypal time. One of the archetypal attractions we rode was Peter Pan's Flight, inspired by the animated movie truthful galore families already knew and loved," D'Amaro wrote. "It was joy. It was family. And it was Disney."

He added, "I person thought astir that infinitesimal galore times due to the fact that it captures thing indispensable astir this company. At its best, Disney creates stories, characters, and experiences that radical link with profoundly and transportation with them for a lifetime."

His astir caller relation progressive overseeing Disney's taxable parks and edifice hotels arsenic president of Disney Experiences. That enactment him successful complaint of a $60 cardinal plan announced successful 2023 to grow Disney's home and planetary parks and cruise enactment capableness implicit 10 years. He besides oversaw Disney's licensing business, which includes its concern with Epic Games.

Shanghai Disney Resort Unveils The World's First Zootopia Land

As president of Disney Experiences, D'Amaro besides oversaw the buildout of immersive parkland experiences, including Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus.

Disney has referred to the Disney Experience conception led by D'Amaro arsenic the "largest and fastest-growing concern segment" of the company. In fiscal twelvemonth 2025, it generated $36 cardinal successful yearly revenue, according to Disney.

Edited by Aimee Picchi

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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