- Mar 13, 2024
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Disney made plenty of waves in February, but one particular announcement was the size of a tsunami.
Josh D’Amaro at Destination D23, 2023 ©Disney
Despite being the year’s shortest month, February was not lacking in big Disney news. Whether it was theme park expansion progress or info regarding the returns of beloved offerings, Disney had us on the edge of our seats all month long. HOWEVER, one announcement was so big that even folks who don’t follow Disney closely took notice.
Perhaps the biggest Disney news of the last several years, Disney announced — officially — on February 3rd, 2026, that Josh D’Amaro will be The Walt Disney Company’s next CEO.
©Disney
Considered the favorite to land the position for quite some time, the former Disney Experiences Chairman was elected to the position of Chief Executive Officer in a unanimous vote. The announcement came on the heels of the company’s earnings call on February 2nd. D’Amaro is currently scheduled to officially take the role on March 18th, 2026 (the same date as The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Shareholders Meeting). After the meeting, D’Amaro is expected to be appointed a director.
©Disney
Having been with Disney for 28 years — during which he oversaw tremendous global expansions — D’Amaro was selected based on the “combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people, according to James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. Current CEO Bob Iger said of D’Amaro, “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.”
©Disney
In conjunction with this announcement, Disney revealed that Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Dana Walden, has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, also effective March 18th. Iger also showed approval of the decision, saying, “Given that creativity is at the heart of everything Disney does, she is a wonderful choice to serve in this new leadership role. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated great knowledge about the many facets of our businesses and brands, and is very well prepared to be President and Chief Creative Officer.”
Dana Walden ©Disney
Iger served as CEO and Chairman from 2005 to 2020, Executive Chairman of the Board through 2021, and returned to the CEO position in late 2022, replacing controversial CEO Bob Chapek. His contract was set to expire through 2026, but he will abdicate his role much earlier than expected. With that said, there was plenty of smoke surrounding Disney’s imminent CEO search in recent weeks, and the announcement and its timing weren’t all too surprising.
Finding the next CEO had always been a top priority. Iger had been fairly transparent about the importance of the role’s succession since returning, and a planning committee was created to find his replacement. D’Amaro always seemed to be an obvious candidate.
CEO Bob Iger ©Disney
With a new CEO about to take the reins, we expect a lot of interesting Disney news to develop over the coming months — especially with how many ongoing projects Disney currently has. We’ll be covering absolutely everything, so be sure to keep it posted right here at Magical Guides for all the latest news!
What kind of change would you like to see Josh D’Amaro implement at Disney? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Josh D’Amaro at Destination D23, 2023 ©Disney
Despite being the year’s shortest month, February was not lacking in big Disney news. Whether it was theme park expansion progress or info regarding the returns of beloved offerings, Disney had us on the edge of our seats all month long. HOWEVER, one announcement was so big that even folks who don’t follow Disney closely took notice.
Perhaps the biggest Disney news of the last several years, Disney announced — officially — on February 3rd, 2026, that Josh D’Amaro will be The Walt Disney Company’s next CEO.
©Disney
Considered the favorite to land the position for quite some time, the former Disney Experiences Chairman was elected to the position of Chief Executive Officer in a unanimous vote. The announcement came on the heels of the company’s earnings call on February 2nd. D’Amaro is currently scheduled to officially take the role on March 18th, 2026 (the same date as The Walt Disney Company’s Annual Shareholders Meeting). After the meeting, D’Amaro is expected to be appointed a director.
©Disney
Having been with Disney for 28 years — during which he oversaw tremendous global expansions — D’Amaro was selected based on the “combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people, according to James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. Current CEO Bob Iger said of D’Amaro, “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.”
©Disney
In conjunction with this announcement, Disney revealed that Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Dana Walden, has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, also effective March 18th. Iger also showed approval of the decision, saying, “Given that creativity is at the heart of everything Disney does, she is a wonderful choice to serve in this new leadership role. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated great knowledge about the many facets of our businesses and brands, and is very well prepared to be President and Chief Creative Officer.”
Dana Walden ©Disney
Iger served as CEO and Chairman from 2005 to 2020, Executive Chairman of the Board through 2021, and returned to the CEO position in late 2022, replacing controversial CEO Bob Chapek. His contract was set to expire through 2026, but he will abdicate his role much earlier than expected. With that said, there was plenty of smoke surrounding Disney’s imminent CEO search in recent weeks, and the announcement and its timing weren’t all too surprising.
Finding the next CEO had always been a top priority. Iger had been fairly transparent about the importance of the role’s succession since returning, and a planning committee was created to find his replacement. D’Amaro always seemed to be an obvious candidate.
CEO Bob Iger ©Disney
With a new CEO about to take the reins, we expect a lot of interesting Disney news to develop over the coming months — especially with how many ongoing projects Disney currently has. We’ll be covering absolutely everything, so be sure to keep it posted right here at Magical Guides for all the latest news!
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What kind of change would you like to see Josh D’Amaro implement at Disney? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
