BREAKING: Disney Names Josh D'Amaro as Next CEO, Succeeding Bob Iger
BREAKING: Disney Names Josh D'Amaro as Next CEO, Succeeding Bob Iger
The Walt Disney Company ends its closely-watched succession saga with parks division chairman ascending to top role
In a unanimous board vote announced Tuesday morning, The Walt Disney Company has selected Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, as its next Chief Executive Officer. D'Amaro will officially take the reins on March 18, 2026, at Disney's annual meeting, marking the end of a multi-year succession process.
The 54-year-old D'Amaro, a 28-year Disney veteran, currently oversees the company's most profitable division — Disney Experiences, which generated $36 billion in annual revenue in FY2025 and employs 185,000 cast members worldwide. His leadership has driven unprecedented expansion in the parks division, including major investments in theme parks, cruise ships, and new ventures like the planned Abu Dhabi theme park.
A Calculated Choice
Dana Walden, Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman and the other leading CEO contender, will instead become President and Chief Creative Officer in a newly created role, reporting to D'Amaro. This marks a strategic decision by Disney's board to elevate the executive behind their most consistent revenue generator during a period when film and television operations have faced industry-wide challenges.
Bob Iger, who has cumulatively served as CEO for nearly two decades, praised his successor's capabilities. "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," Iger stated.
Learning from Past Missteps
This succession carries added weight following Disney's previous CEO transition debacle. Iger's 2020 handoff to Bob Chapek — also a parks division executive — ended disastrously, with behind-the-scenes power struggles culminating in Chapek's ouster and Iger's return in November 2022.
Disney board chairman James Gorman, former CEO of Morgan Stanley, was under pressure to execute a strong succession plan this time around after the previous failure. The board committed in October 2024 to naming a successor by early 2026, ultimately choosing to promote from within rather than bringing in an outside candidate.
What's Next
Following the transition, Iger will serve as senior adviser and remain on Disney's board until his retirement on December 31, 2026. D'Amaro becomes only the eighth person to hold the CEO title since Disney's founding in 1923.
D'Amaro is already familiar to Disney superfans for his frequent park tours and social media presence highlighting cast members. His promotion underscores how crucial theme parks, cruises, and experiential entertainment have become to Disney's business model as the company navigates streaming profitability and theatrical challenges.
The announcement comes one day after Disney reported quarterly earnings that exceeded expectations, though the stock dropped 7% as Wall Street digested the results.
This is huge for your entertainment coverage. You might want to reach out for industry reactions or analyze what this means for Disney's creative direction versus business operations.