The Walt Disney Company has announced that Josh D'Amaro--widely considered to win the job as the company's next CEO--is indeed the company's next CEO.
The vote was unanimous, Disney said in a news release. D'Amaro will officially take over as CEO following Disney's upcoming annual meeting on March 18, 2026, at which time he will officially succeed Bob Iger.
"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," Disney chairman of the board James Gorman said.
"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."
The other top candidate for the job, Dana Walden, will become president and chief creative officer at The Walt Disney company, effective March 18. Walden will report to D'Amaro. In her role, Walden 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."
Iger left his position as Disney CEO in February 2020, but came back in 2022 later after Bob Chapek was ousted as CEO. Iger will stay on at Disney for the time being as a senior advisor and member of the board until he officially retires on December 31, 2026.
"Disney's strength has always come from our people and the creative excellence that defines our stories and experiences," D'Amaro said. "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 honor 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."
The current CEO of Electronic Arts, Andrew Wilson, was reportedly considered for the job at one point.
D'Amaro started at Disney all the way back in 1998 and rose through the ranks to become the current chairman of Disney Experiences. This sprawling business unit runs Disney's theme parks and cruise ships, as well as consumer products, including video games.
In that role, D'Amaro is leading the effort to grow Disney's presence in video games, in part through a $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games for a Fortnite project.
It was previously reported that D'Amaro wants to give video games "a bigger role at the company." The report said D'Amaro is also looking to integrate "gaming technology" into Disney's creative processes.
Disney already uses Epic's Unreal technology for filmmaking, with The Mandalorian employing the Fortnite tech to project scenes onto LED screens surrounding the physical set. The executive has previously discussed why gaming is so important to Disney.
D'Amaro said Walt Disney himself was an "adventurer" and a "risk-taker," going on to say what Disney is now trying to achieve through Fortnite is an extension of that spirit.
"We should never rest on past success. We should always look for the next big idea, the next big challenge," he said. "If we'd always relied on what worked in the past, the Walt Disney Company might not exist today. As consumer preferences continue to shift, we have to adapt, or we are going to be left behind."
Characters and content from Disney's Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar brands, among others, will be represented in Fortnite. Disney and Epic have yet to officially unveil any specific projects in Fortnite tied to Disney, but many are hoping to see some kind of "virtual Disney World."
For more, be sure read GameSpot's rundown of everything we know about the Disney x Fortnite project.
Disney was at one time a bigger player in the world of video games, as the company had its own dedicated internal gaming division with Disney Interactive Studios. Disney also operated the once-popular Disney Infinity "toys-to-life" brand, but it also shuttered. Today, Disney's efforts in gaming mainly involve licensing its brands to other companies. In 2019, Iger spoke candidly about Disney's struggles making and publishing games internally, admitting, "We haven't been particularly good..."
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/disney...01-10abi2f