Josh D’Amaro to become Chief Executive of Disney

At the company’s Annual Meeting, D’Amaro will transition from his current position as Chairman of Disney Experiences to succeed Robert A. Iger, longtime CEO of Disney. The board also intends to appoint D’Amaro as a Director immediately following that meeting.

Over his nearly three-decade career at Disney, D’Amaro has held leadership roles across the company both in the US and internationally, including finance, business strategy, marketing, creative development and operations. His past positions include President of Disneyland Resort and President of Walt Disney World Resort.

As the leader of Disney Experiences, the company’s largest business segment,  D’Amaro helped the company make $36bn in annual revenue in the financial year of 2025. He has also been in charge of 185,000 employees, 12 theme parks, and 57 resort hotels worldwide.

Since taking the role in 2020, his responsibilities have included Disney Signature Experiences – including Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Disney Institute, and Storyliving by Disney – as well as overseeing Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Consumer Products and the plans for a new park in Abu Dhabi. He also manages digital ventures, including the collaboration with Epic Games to create a Disney universe within Fortnite. According to the company, D’Amaro was also the architect of the largest global expansion in Disney Experiences' history.
 
“Josh D’Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people – all of which make him the right person to take the helm as Disney’s next CEO,” said James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. “Throughout this search process, Josh has demonstrated a strong vision for the company’s future and a deep understanding of the creative spirit that makes Disney unique in an ever-changing marketplace. He has an outstanding record of business achievement, collaborating with some of the biggest names in entertainment to bring their stories to life in our parks, showcasing the power of combining Disney storytelling with cutting-edge technology. The board believes he is exceptionally well-prepared to guide this global company forward to serve our consumers around the world and create long-term value for shareholders.”

“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” said Iger. “He has an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences, paired with the rigour 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.”

“I am immensely grateful to the board for entrusting me with leading a company that means so much to me and millions around the world,” said D’Amaro. “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 honour 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.”

D’Amaro will be supported by a team of senior executives who have worked together for several years at Disney, including Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, and James Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN.

Concurrent with D’Amaro’s appointment, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company. This appointment will also become effective on 18 March 2026. As Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Walden has led Disney’s world-renowned, award-winning entertainment media, news, and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming businesses. In this new role – a historic first for the enterprise – Walden will report directly to D’Amaro and will ensure that storytelling and creative expression across every audience touchpoint consistently reflect the brand, engage audiences at scale, and advance core business objectives, while driving enterprise-wide initiatives and translating vision into action.

“Dana Walden is an excellent leader who commands tremendous respect from the creative community,” continued Iger. “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.”

The appointments conclude an extensive succession planning process, which began in January 2023. The Board of Directors formed a special Succession Planning Committee to support the board in planning for a leadership transition that aligns with the company’s long-term strategic goals. At the direction of the board, the committee and the full board undertook a multi-year succession planning process, meeting regularly to evaluate internal and external candidates, transition structures, organisational frameworks, and planning for potential impacts of succession decisions across the company. The committee has been led by Gorman as Chair since 2024, with Directors Mary T. Barra, Jeremy Darroch, and Calvin R. McDonald also currently serving as members – all of whom have direct experience in CEO and senior leadership succession planning for Fortune 500 companies. 

D’Amaro and Walden underwent a rigorous preparation process, including extensive mentorship, external coaching, and direct engagement with all directors. Having led the company for nearly two decades, Iger in particular provided extensive mentorship to the internal candidates throughout the succession planning process.

Since his return in 2022, Iger spearheaded a strategic transformation of the company. As part of this transformation, Iger moved quickly to restructure the organisation, empower creative leaders, and restore financial discipline, establishing four strategic priorities: strengthening the quality and economic output of the film studios; delivering sustained profitability in streaming; positioning ESPN as the premier digital destination for sports fans; and powering growth across Disney Experiences.

Upon transition, Iger will continue to serve as Senior Advisor and a member of the Disney Board until his retirement from the company on 31 December 2026.

“On behalf of the entire board, we extend our deepest gratitude to Bob Iger for his extraordinary leadership and dedication to The Walt Disney Company,” continued Gorman. “The board asked Bob to return as CEO in 2022 for two critical reasons. First, to lead the company through a challenging transition and ensure Disney was fit for purpose for the future. Second, to strengthen the leadership bench and to help develop candidates for the CEO transition. Bob has delivered on both priorities while also guiding Disney through a transformative period with an ambitious strategy that has further strengthened its position as the world’s premier entertainment company. After nearly two decades leading Disney, the Iger era has been defined by enormous growth, an unyielding commitment to excellence in creativity and innovation, and exemplary stewardship of this iconic institution.”

“I am incredibly proud to step away at a moment when Disney’s future has never been brighter,” continued Iger. “I’m confident Disney will continue to innovate and put the spirit of Walt at the heart of everything it does – from its new park in Abu Dhabi to the groundbreaking partnerships just announced with OpenAI and the NFL, to the countless upcoming creative projects that will enthral audiences around the world. Disney has shaped who I am as a leader, and I will always be grateful to this extraordinary company and for the opportunity to lead it over all these years.”

The Walt Disney Company recently revealed that it lost approximately $110m in operating income from the temporary suspension of its YouTube TV carriage deal. Discover more here.