The film company appointed D'Amaro as the new CEO, while Iger will continue as an advisor until the end of the year
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The Walt Disney Company announced on February 3 the promotion of Josh D'Amaro as the company's new chief executive officer, in a transition that will take effect next March 18.
D'Amaro, current president of Disney Experiences, will succeed Bob Iger, who will remain as senior advisor and member of the board of directors until his final retirement at the end of this year.
The appointment puts an end to a long and carefully planned succession process launched in 2023, after the failed previous transition to Bob Chapek. In order to avoid repeating that episode, the board created a specific committee headed by James Gorman, former chief executive officer of Morgan Stanley, who assured that this time there wouldn't be "the same drama" that characterized the company's recent past.
D'Amaro, 54 years old, assumes leadership at a time of contrasts for Disney. On one hand, the company is posting solid box office results thanks to productions such as Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash, while its streaming business is showing stable performance in a highly competitive market.
Josh D'Amaro, actual director de parques de la compañía, reemplazará a Iger
The new CEO will continue to lead an ambitious 60 billion dollar investment aimed at the global expansion of parks, cruises, and resorts, in addition to overseeing Walt Disney Imagineering and the licensing business, including the strategic alliance with Epic Games. The board clearly opted for an internal succession, favoring executives trained under Iger's direct tutelage.
However, the announcement of the management restructuring hasn't been free of controversy. As part of the new framework, and a close friend of Kamala Harris, Dana Walden was appointed the company's chief creative officer and will report directly to D'Amaro.
Walden, with a career at 21st Century Fox and co-chair of Disney Entertainment since 2019, will now concentrate decisive influence over content, entertainment, and the company's creative strategy.
Dana Walden fue nombrada como directora creativa de Disney
This appointment has reignited criticism from conservative sectors and several investors, who accuse Disney of having deepened under Bob Iger a progressive ideological agenda that has affected the relationship with part of the audience and has politicized the brand.
Walden, perceived by these critics as a figure aligned with progressive positions within the U.S. cultural industry and close to Democratic circles, has become a symbol of that direction they question.
During Iger's return to the position in 2022, after Chapek's poor financial results, the executive promised stability and a focus on the business. Nevertheless, his management once again prioritized cultural and political stances that caused public controversies, boycotts, and tensions with traditional audiences, especially in the United States.
Walden posee un fuerte vínculo de amistad con Kamala Harris
The company, meanwhile, keeps that the reorganization seeks to strengthen its digital and creative autonomy in an industry marked by rapid changes in consumption and by increasingly aggressive global competition. Disney also ruled out a co-chief executive model, even though companies such as Oracle and Spotify experimented with similar frameworks in 2025.
With D'Amaro in charge, Disney is beginning a new phase that promises operational continuity with strategic changes. However, Bob Iger's legacy and the decisions regarding creative leadership, especially the central role granted to Dana Walden, will continue to be the subject of debate about the balance between profitability, corporate identity, and ideological orientation of the world's largest entertainment conglomerate.
