Disney’s next CEO revealed, Bob Iger to step down early
The next CEO of The Walt Disney Company will be Josh D’Amaro, replacing Bob Iger effective March 18, 2026.
Disney revealed D’Amaro as its next CEO on Feb. 3, 2026.
Josh D’Amaro is currently chairman of Disney Experiences, a division responsible for Disney’s theme parks and resorts globally. Disney has not publicly named a successor to D’Amaro’s current role with Disney Experiences.
D’Amaro’s rise to that role followed positions as CFO of Disney Consumer Products Global Licensing, president of Disneyland Resort, and president of Walt Disney World Resort.
Bob Iger, who was planned to stay on as Disney’s CEO through Dec. 31, 2026, will now step down from that role early, but remain with the company through the end of the year as senior advisor and a member of Disney’s board.
Iger said, “Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO. 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.”
Josh D’Amaro said:
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. 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 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.
Along with the transition of D’Amaro to CEO, Dana Walden, who was among the top contenders to replace Iger as CEO, will become president and chief creative officer of The Walt Disney Company. Walden is currently co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, a role she shares with Alan Bergman and which pertains to Disney’s many studio domains. Walden was formerly chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content following a decades-long tenure with 21st Century Fox and Fox Television Group.
Iger has been Disney’s CEO since 2005, save for, famously, a brief stint from 2020-2022 in which Bob Chapek was in the role. (Our publisher, Matt Roseboom, had lunch with Chapek toward the end of the CEO’s tenure, during which Chapek discussed some of the controversial issues that marked his time as Disney’s leader.)
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