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Disney Names Parks Chief Josh D’Amaro CEO as Dana Walden Becomes President and Chief Creative Officer

The unanimous board pick caps a deliberate internal search that pairs operational leadership with centralized creative oversight.

Overview

  • D’Amaro will take over as CEO on March 18, 2026, coinciding with Disney’s annual meeting, after a unanimous board vote.
  • Bob Iger will become a senior advisor and remain on the board through his planned retirement on December 31, 2026.
  • Dana Walden moves into a new role as president and chief creative officer reporting to D’Amaro, consolidating stewardship of Disney’s media and content strategy.
  • D’Amaro has led Disney’s Experiences segment since 2020, a unit that generated about $36 billion in fiscal 2025 and employs roughly 185,000 people across parks, cruises and resorts.
  • The succession follows a multiyear process that began with a 2023 board committee and intensified under chair James Gorman in 2024, with priorities that include streaming growth, film performance, park expansion and ESPN’s continued buildout.