Disney CEO Bob Chapek will step down from his position, and former CEO Bob Iger will take his place.
Bob Chapek ©Disney
The announcement came late Sunday, November 20th, from the Disney Board of Directors.
The Walt Disney Company has announced that Bob Iger (who formerly led Disney as the CEO) will return as CEO, effective immediately. Disney thanked Chapek for “his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.”
©Disney || Bob Chapek
Disney made the announcement on Twitter:
Robert A. Iger named Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company: https://t.co/qvG1ZB8cvR pic.twitter.com/nV41l8OMEW
— Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) November 21, 2022
“The Walt Disney Company announced today that Robert A. Iger is returning to lead Disney as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Iger, who spent more than four decades at the Company, including 15 years as its CEO, has agreed to serve as Disney’s CEO for two years, with a mandate from the Board to set the strategic direction for renewed growth and to work closely with the Board in developing a successor to lead the Company at the completion of his term. Mr. Iger succeeds Bob Chapek, who has stepped down from his position.”
©Reuters
“We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic,” said Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board. “The Board has concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.”
“Mr. Iger has the deep respect of Disney’s senior leadership team, most of whom he worked closely with until his departure as executive chairman 11 months ago, and he is greatly admired by Disney employees worldwide–all of which will allow for a seamless transition of leadership,” she said.
“The position of Chairman of the Board remains unchanged, with Ms. Arnold serving in that capacity.”
Bob Iger ©New York Post
“I am extremely optimistic for the future of this great company and thrilled to be asked by the Board to return as its CEO,” Mr. Iger said. “Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration. I am deeply honored to be asked to again lead this remarkable team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through unrivaled, bold storytelling.”
“During his 15 years as CEO, from 2005 to 2020, Mr. Iger helped build Disney into one of the world’s most successful and admired media and entertainment companies with a strategic vision focused on creative excellence, technological innovation and international growth. He expanded on Disney’s legacy of unparalleled storytelling with the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox and increased the Company’s market capitalization fivefold during his time as CEO. Mr. Iger continued to direct Disney’s creative endeavors until his departure as Executive Chairman last December, and the Company’s robust pipeline of content is a testament to his leadership and vision.”
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Understand that WDW will Never be like we remember it from 5-10-30 years ago; It CANNOT be. So many of us want to go that, without some kind of throttle like reservations or sky-high prices, the parks would stay shoulder-to-shoulder. We don’t want shoulder-to-shoulder now, do we?
Those great off-seasons we enjoyed are gone forever, and not because of something Chapek did! Bob Iger set out to maximize attendance and was so successful that off-seasons evaporated.
Iger is a Disney man, unlike Chapek, but he still has crowds to regulate and profit to make, so PLEASE don’t expect our 1990’s ShangriLa to ever return.
How about we enjoy our newly-HAPPY Cast Members and a few perks back, like APs, all of the parking trams working, sufficient park staff, and ditching that cash-grab genie+ and a return to some sort of FastPass.
Just remember that so many people want to enjoy the parks that some sort of misery must accompany that “enjoyment”.
My wish list …
Goodbye Genie + Hello prior Fast pass
Hotel and food calm down with the constant price increases
Bring back Tables in Wonderland
And for my final wish … can we please have the parks stay open later ???
I feel like this would divide the crowds and make for a more enjoyable experience.
In response to ray we r some of the people that have to fly to go to Disney and have annual passes for over 30 years and have been going there ever since it was only the magic kingdom it was always the place we wanted to go and when tell we have for 100 times that is the truth we have gone multiple times n a year and save our job vacations cause where we had the most fun and stayed on property but now iger is back and we don’t c any change coming at all for the good us us and think he will keep it all n place that chapek did and they both share n the problem that has been done and have ruined it for thousands up on thousands of people to b able to have that magic back and that is a true shame and a disgrace to the memory of Walt Disney who created a magical place for all to go to with wonderful Mickey Mouse and this heart that Walt disney had to create
Iger, show us that you care more about your hotel and park customers than you care about WALL STREET AND YOUR INVESTORS. Stop treating your park customers as an ATM Machine to pay for the $1.5 Billion loss in Disney Plus Streaming.
Yes iger quit viewing us as the cash cows that keeps disney going to cover the messes u have made and seriously doubt that care cause we know r part of this problem that has happened as I say iger u part of this lousy thing had been done so my family is not excited to c u back michael Eisner is the one needed back it was Disney when he was there
get express back to Disney we always stayed at the resorts and why n the world would we rent a car to sit n disneys resort and only go there and pay to have a parking spot a lot of us don’t live n Florida r n a closer state
And spend a lot on air fare to jet there