Caption: Josh D’Amaro (right) has been named as the new CEO at The Walt Disney Company, while Dana Walden will take on the newly created role of president and Chief Creative Officer. Photo courtesy of Disney.
By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The Walt Disney Company has chosen Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro to replace outgoing CEO Robert (Bob) Iger.
D’Amaro will also be appointed as director on Disney’s board after he effectively succeeds Iger in his new position on March 18.
“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,” D’Amaro said. “Disney’s strength has always come from our people and the creative excellence that defines our stories and experiences.”
The appointment comes as the Disney Experiences division has enjoyed rapid growth that outpaced all the other divisions at the world’s largest entertainment and licensing company.
As well, while most people believe that the entertainment segment is Disney’s largest moneymaker, the Disney Experiences division is actually the company’s largest driver of revenue. In 2025, Disney Experiences earned $35 billion.
D’Amaro, as head of the 185,000 employees and cast members — literally the boss of Mickey Mouse and Goofy — is credited with leading the largest ever global expansion in the history of Disney Experiences, leading it to new creative and financial heights.
Iger says the 28-year Disney veteran is the ideal person to replace him as CEO.
“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” Iger said. “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.
“His ability to combine creativity with operational excellence is exemplary and I am thrilled for Josh and the company.”
The question of who would replace Iger has been a thorny one for Disney.
Iger previously retired as CEO at Disney, leading to the appointment of Bob Chapek, but within a few years Chapek was fired as structural changes were blamed for cratering revenue while morale at the company plummeted.
Iger was forced to return to his former position, and later revealed in an earnings call that there was “a lot of fixing that needed to be done.”
Iger pointed to structural changes like the creation of the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, a centralized division that stripped the creative heads of Disney Animation, Marvel and Lucasfilm of the power to decide how and where their content was released.
Iger spent a lot of his time restoring the ability of Disney’s creative minds to lead the direction of Disney franchises.
With that work completed, chairman of the Walt Disney Company board of directors James Gorman says it was time to appoint a new visionary to take the reins.
“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,” 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.”
D’Amaro will also enjoy the support of veteran leader Dana Walden, who will take on the role of president and Chief Creative Officer on March 18. As Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Walden has led Disney’s entertainment media, news, and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming businesses.
In this new role — an historic first for the enterprise — Disney says 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.”
Iger stressed the move is intended to ensure the ongoing support of the creative minds at Disney.
“Dana Walden is an excellent leader who commands tremendous respect from the creative community,” Iger explained. “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.”
Disney revealed that Iger has provided extensive mentorship to the internal candidates throughout the succession planning process, and upon transition will continue to serve as Senior Advisor and a member of the Disney Board until his retirement from the company on December 31, 2026.
That day will mark the end of an era for Disney, as Iger is considered the greatest and most influential leader the company has enjoyed since Walt Disney himself ran the company.
Iger not only led Disney to an unprecedented boom in its creative output and revenue generation, but established it as the largest entertainment conglomerate in the world.
When the company went somewhat off the rails, he returned in 2022 and spearheaded the strategic transformation and helped guide Disney through a period of industry disruption.
D’Amaro says he and the company are now poised to grow on that momentum.
“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,” D’Amaro said. “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, 54, has served as Chairman of the Disney Experiences segment since 2020, and prior to that was President of Walt Disney World Resort. He joined the company in 1998 at Disneyland Resort.
As Chairman of Disney Experiences, D’Amaro oversees 12 theme parks and 57 resort hotels worldwide, with plans for a new park in Abu Dhabi. His responsibilities include 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.
He also manages digital ventures, including the collaboration with Epic Games to create a Disney universe within Fortnite.
D’Amaro has been instrumental in expanding Disney’s iconic franchises through the creation of immersive, story-driven experiences at Disney’s theme parks, such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen.
Building on this momentum, upcoming projects include the development of a Monsters, Inc.-themed land at Disney Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort, a new Avatar destination at the Disneyland Resort, and expansive new areas inspired by Cars and Disney Villains as part of the largest-ever expansion of the Magic Kingdom.