The Walt Disney Company Announces Leadership Transition: Josh D'Amaro Named CEO, Dana Walden President & CCO
Josh D'Amaro has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, effective March 18, 2026, succeeding Bob Iger. Concurrently, Dana Walden has been named President and Chief Creative Officer. These key appointments follow a unanimous board vote on February 2 and are the culmination of a robust succession planning process led by the company's board.
Leadership Transition Details
The Walt Disney Company's board of directors announced Josh D'Amaro's appointment as CEO, marking him as the ninth individual to hold the esteemed position. Mr. D'Amaro, currently the Chairman of Disney Experiences, will assume his new role on March 18, 2026. The Board plans to appoint him as a director immediately following that meeting.
Bob Iger, who previously served as CEO from 2005 to 2020 and returned in 2022, will transition to a senior adviser and board member position before his full retirement from the company at the end of 2026.
Dana Walden, formerly co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, has been appointed to the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Co., reporting directly to Mr. D'Amaro.
Josh D'Amaro: The New Chief Executive Officer
Mr. D'Amaro joined Disney in 1998, accumulating 28 years of experience with the company by his effective date as CEO. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and began his career in finance at the Gillette Company before joining Disney.
His extensive career at Disney has included a variety of leadership roles, such as:
- Vice President of Sales and Travel Trade Marketing
- Director of Business Planning and Strategy Development
- Chief Financial Officer of Disney Consumer Products Licensing
- Vice President of Adventures by Disney
- Vice President of Disney's Animal Kingdom, where he oversaw initial construction of Pandora – The World of Avatar
- Senior Vice President of Walt Disney World's Resort & Transportation Operations
- Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney World
- President of Disneyland Park, followed by President of Walt Disney World
For nearly six years, Mr. D'Amaro has headed Disney Experiences, overseeing a worldwide team of 185,000 Cast Members. This substantial division generated $36 billion in annual revenue in fiscal year 2025 and manages Disney's six resorts, 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line (including eight cruise ships), the upcoming Disneyland Abu Dhabi, Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Disney Institute, and Storyliving by Disney. He has also overseen the company's multiyear $60 billion investment in cruise ships, resorts, and theme parks, and leads Disney's licensing business, including its partnership with Epic Games.
As CEO, Mr. D'Amaro's responsibilities will encompass leveraging Disney's intellectual property for new movies and theme park additions, fostering streaming growth, and expanding the sports business. He will oversee entities including Disney movies, 20th Century Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Pixar, ABC, FX, and Hulu. James Gorman, Disney's chairman, commented on Mr. D'Amaro's vision and ability to integrate Disney storytelling with technology within the parks.
The appointment occurs during a period characterized by successful box-office releases, such as "Zootopia 2" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash," and a robust streaming business for Disney. Challenges for the Experiences division have included a decline in foreign visitors to domestic theme parks, with external factors such as immigration policies and trade disputes cited.
Dana Walden: President and Chief Creative Officer
Ms. Walden joined Disney in 2019, following prominent leadership roles at 21st Century Fox. As co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, she helped oversee Disney's streaming, entertainment media, news, and content businesses.
In her new role, Ms. Walden will be responsible for ensuring creative excellence across all Disney businesses, a focus highlighted by Chairman James Gorman who emphasized the importance of creativity and intellectual property to Disney's core identity. She will report directly to Mr. D'Amaro.
Bob Iger's Legacy and Smooth Transition
Bob Iger's return as CEO in 2022 followed a period of financial losses for the company. During this tenure, he implemented significant restructuring initiatives, including $5.5 billion in cost reductions and employee layoffs, which were widely credited with improving the company's performance. Mr. Iger expressed confidence in Mr. D'Amaro's leadership for the company's future. He also shared an Instagram post featuring himself and Mr. D'Amaro during a visit to Disneyland, celebrating the appointment.
The leadership transition process involved a succession planning committee established in 2023, with the search intensifying in 2024 under the leadership of James Gorman, Disney's chairman and former Morgan Stanley executive chairman. This thorough process, facilitated by Mr. Iger's contract extension, allowed for comprehensive vetting of candidates. Internal candidates were widely considered for the pivotal role, with Josh D'Amaro and Dana Walden emerging as leading contenders. Other candidates considered included Alan Bergman and Jimmy Pitaro.