Hunt for Disney CEO Bob Iger's successor kicks into high gear
Disney's months-long proxy war with activist investor Nelson Peltz in the rear-view mirror, attention is refocused on finding CEO Bob Iger's successor.
The board has extended Iger's retirement date five times, continually deferring decisions about finding a replacement.
Disney board members sought to reassure investors, ahead of Wednesday's shareholder vote, that this time they are taking the matter of succession seriously, as they vet internal and external candidates ahead of Iger's new retirement date by the end of 2026.
This week, attention focused on Disney Entertainment Co-chairman Dana Walden as the current top contender, among Hollywood insiders, many of them former Disney executives or those who have done business with one of the world's largest entertainment conglomerates.
Walden is a creative TV executive in the mold of Iger, with a string of commercial and critical successes and strong talent relationships, who has quickly adapted to the company's culture after 25 years at 21st Century Fox, said those who have worked with her.
Other internal candidates include Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro, an executive with Iger-like charisma whose portfolio includes the company's most significant revenue engine, its theme parks, and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, the likable executive who is guiding the sports network's digital transition, according to a half-dozen high-level industry sources who know the company and its top executives.
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