As Bob Iger prepares to step down as Disney CEO so he can retire, the entertainment behemoth is trying to find his successor.
Disney said on Monday that it would name a new chief executive in “early 2026” after it announced James Gorman, former CEO of Morgan Stanley, will serve as its next board chairman.
Gorman, set to take the helm on January 2, 2025, will succeed Mark Parker, who is stepping down after nearly a decade of service.
“The Disney board has benefited tremendously from James Gorman’s expertise and guidance, and we are lucky to have him as our next chairman—particularly as the board continues to move forward with the succession process,” Iger said on Monday.
Iger served as Disney’s public face for 15 years, earning widespread praise in the entertainment industry and among fans before retiring in 2020.
However, he returned in 2022 to guide the company through a challenging period following Bob Chapek’s tenure as CEO. Chapek faced criticism after a quarterly earnings report fell short of profit expectations and Disney+ growth projections declined.
Gorman’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to ensure stability while Disney continues its search for a new CEO. Gorman has expressed confidence that the timeline will allow for a smooth transition before Iger’s contract ends in December 2026.
As speculation swirls around potential candidates, Newsweek has provided information about the four people who could each take over from Iger once his contract ends.
Newsweek reached out to Disney for comment via email on Tuesday outside of normal business hours.
Kevin Winter/Theo Wargo/Jesse Grant/Getty Images/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios
Dana Walden
Dana Walden is the co-chair of Disney Entertainment and currently serves as a member of the President’s Export Council.
She oversees Disney’s “full portfolio of entertainment media, news and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming business,” according to her biography on The Walt Disney Company website.
She also is also involved in the leadership of ABC Entertainment, ABC News and ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective.
Walden oversees the marketing, operations, distribution and business groups across these brands.
“Under Walden’s leadership, ABC has secured its position as the No. 1 entertainment network for four consecutive seasons—the first time that has happened in more than 25 years” her bio reads.
Former President Donald Trump alluded to Walden when he questioned whether ABC News, owned by Disney Entertainment, would be biased against him in a debate with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
He implied that there are three people he believes could sabotage the integrity of the debate.
Republican candidate Trump said: “Will panelist Donna Brazile give the questions to the Marxist Candidate like she did for Crooked Hillary Clinton? Will Kamala’s best friend, who heads up ABC, do likewise? Where is Liddle’ George Slopadopolus hanging out now? Will he be involved?”
“Kamala’s best friend who heads up ABC” could be a reference to Walden. Her husband Matt Walden has been close friends with Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff since the 1980s.
ABC has previously said Walden is not involved in any news coverage decisions.
Josh D’Amaro
Josh D’Amaro has served as Chairman of Disney Experiences since 2022, overseeing a broad portfolio that includes Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Parks (12 theme parks across the U.S., Europe and Asia), and Disney Signature Experiences, which offers family travel beyond the parks.
He also leads Disney Consumer Products, home to the global licensing business for toys, apparel, home goods, the largest children’s print publisher and Disney’s digital games and apps, including its collaboration with Epic Games.
His responsibilities span global strategy, finance, operations, marketing, creative development and technology.
“With a global team of 180,000 Cast Members, D’Amaro is leading the company’s strategy to turbocharge Disney Experiences, creating groundbreaking experiences for audiences through a 10-year, $60 billion investment in new attractions, lands, hotels, cruise ships and technology,” his biography reads.
“As Chairman, he partners closely with the company’s film and TV studio creative leads, together with Walt Disney Imagineering, to bring Disney’s most popular and powerful creative assets to life in a way that only Disney can.
“His affinity for the brand is coupled with a deep respect for our guests and the cast members who create magic every day.”
Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney
Alan Bergman
Alan Bergman is currently co-chair for Disney Entertainment, which he runs alongside Walden. The duo oversees the company’s global streaming business and manage all content decisions for Disney+ and Disney-controlled Hulu.
Bergman has served in senior leadership roles at The Walt Disney Studios since 2001. He was chairman from 2020 to 2023 and was co-chair from 2019 to 2020.
“In this role, Bergman leads Disney’s world-renowned filmmaking studios that produce high-quality cinematic storytelling for both theatrical and streaming release, including Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures,” his biography reads.
“He also oversees the marketing, operations, technology, theatrical distribution, and business groups across these brands, as well as Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group, producer of popular stage shows on Broadway and around the world. He also has shared oversight of direct-to-consumer, technology, and ad sales groups, as well as international content and operations.”
During Bergman’s tenure, Disney has dominated the global box office, leading for seven consecutive years from 2015 to 2022, including a record-breaking $11 billion worldwide gross in 2019.
James Pitaro
James (Jimmy) Pitaro was appointed Chairman of ESPN in February 2023, taking full operational and financial control of one of Disney’s three core business segments.
He oversees ESPN’s entire portfolio of sports content, products, and experiences across all Disney platforms globally, including international sports channels, as well as creative development, marketing, sales, and distribution.
“Mr. Pitaro most recently served as Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, focusing on ESPN’s live sports programming, as well as sports news and original and non-scripted sports-related content, for The Walt Disney Company’s cable channels, ESPN+, and ABC,” his biography reads.
“Prior to that, Mr. Pitaro was named ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, on March 5, 2018, after serving as Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI). At that time, he brought his history of leading businesses focused on consumer products, digital initiatives and sports to ESPN at a pivotal point in the company’s 38-year history: a time of unprecedented technological advancements and rapidly changing consumer habits.”
Disney first hired Pitaro, a former Yahoo Media vice president, in 2010 as co-president of Disney Interactive to take over Disney.com and other online properties. While he was at Yahoo, Pitaro was responsible for Yahoo’s media properties, including Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Music.
