The Walt Disney Corporate has introduced a chain of latest management appointments within the Parks & Inns phase, together with a brand new Disney Studies Chairman. That is massive information for Walt Disney Global and Disneyland enthusiasts, as the way forward for $60 billion or extra in investments wanted a brand new steward with Josh D’Amaro promoted to CEO.
Talking of which, let’s get started there for those who overlooked the management shuffle that resulted in this. Early closing month, the Walt Disney Corporate Board of Administrators introduced early closing month that it elected Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro to grow to be Leader Govt Officer, efficient on the upcoming Annual Assembly on March 18, 2026. D’Amaro is a 28-year Disney veteran, is the architect of the most important growth in Disney Parks historical past, and has led the phase to new heights financially, creatively, and in visitor delight consistent with the corporate.
Along D’Amaro’s appointment as CEO, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Leisure, has been named President and Leader Ingenious Officer of The Walt Disney Corporate, additionally efficient March 18, 2026. On this historical new position for Disney, Walden will record immediately to D’Amaro. Upon this transition, longtime Disney CEO Robert A. Iger will proceed to function Senior Marketing consultant and a member of the Disney Board from March 18th till his retirement from the corporate on December 31, 2026.
With D’Amaro ascending to the nook place of job, any individual must take over the only maximum successful department of all of the Walt Disney Corporate. Disney Studies generated $36 billion in earnings in fiscal 2025 and represents over 70% of Disney’s general working source of revenue.
We now know that the brand new Disney Studies Chairman is Thomas Mazloum, present Disneyland Lodge President.
“We’re in an unparalleled length of enlargement for Disney Studies,” stated Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Studies and incoming Leader Govt Officer of the Walt Disney Corporate in pronouncing the management adjustments. “This staff will propel the world-class stories Disney is understood for to extra visitors around the globe.”
Thomas Mazloum succeeds Josh D’Amaro as Chairman, Disney Studies, main a various portfolio of worldwide companies together with Disney’s theme parks, cruise ships, hotel motels, expeditions and adventures, user merchandise, and Walt Disney Imagineering, the ingenious engine at the back of Disney’s stories portfolio.
Mazloum brings deep operational wisdom of Disney Studies, a robust file of world management, and a long-standing dedication to Disney’s forged individuals and artistic tradition. With the visitor revel in on the heart of the whole thing, he’s going to lead the trade into its subsequent bankruptcy because it continues to develop and evolve globally.
“Thomas Mazloum is a phenomenal chief with a real appreciation for our forged individuals and a confirmed monitor file of handing over enlargement,” added D’Amaro. “His focal point on carrier excellence, large world management, and powerful connection to the creativity that brings our tales to lifestyles make him the best chief to steer Disney Studies into its subsequent bankruptcy.”
Disney Studies additionally introduced the next adjustments to its management staff, with all roles reporting to Mazloum (hyperlinks to their reliable Disney bios):
“As we glance forward, I’ve super self assurance in Thomas and within the leaders getting into those roles — Jill, Tasia, and Lisa — in conjunction with the implausible management staff throughout Disney Studies,” stated D’Amaro. “In combination, they’re going to proceed to construct on our momentum all over the world, handing over the carrier, creativity and one-of-a-kind stories that outline Disney.”
Transitions gets beneath approach in the following few weeks, with all roles efficient March 18, 2026.
Jill Estorino Named New Disneyland President
Jill Estorino has been named President, Disneyland Lodge, the place she is going to proceed to raise the visitor and forged revel in on the corporate’s unique, iconic vacation spot.
Over her 35-year occupation, Estorino held a lot of management roles, together with Govt Vice President of International Advertising and marketing and Gross sales for Disney Parks, Studies and Merchandise, the place she performed a key position within the grand opening of Shanghai Disney Lodge.
Maximum not too long ago, as President of Disney Parks World, Estorino oversaw the operations, growth and building of Disney’s world parks and inns, together with Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Lodge and Tokyo Disney Lodge with the Oriental Land Corporate. Estorino effectively expanded Disney’s world footprint at websites all over the world, achieving new shoppers and enthusiasts from all over the world. Since her appointment, Disney’s world parks have noticed sturdy efficiency and enlargement.
In her new position as Disneyland Lodge President, Estorino brings an international viewpoint formed by means of a long time of management throughout Disney’s various portfolio of stories. As a robust trade and advertising and marketing strategist, she makes a speciality of emblem stewardship, outstanding visitor stories, and a deeply hooked up forged tradition. Estorino will information the hotel via its subsequent section of enlargement whilst proceeding to foster the tradition and neighborhood that has outlined Disneyland.
Tasia Filippatos Named New Disney Parks World President
Tasia Filippatos is appointed President, Disney Parks World, overseeing the expansion and evolution of Disney’s parks outdoor the USA.
Maximum not too long ago, Filippatos served as President of Disney Shopper Merchandise, guiding the trade via a length of transformation fueled by means of innovation-led enlargement. Her management integrated an international portfolio spanning merchandise, Parks products, retail, publishing and video games whilst translating iconic storytelling into scaled user stories via premier emblem partnerships international.
In her new position as President of Disney Parks World, Filippatos brings a confirmed monitor file of main advanced world companies at scale throughout various world markets. A visionary chief at the vanguard of creativity and innovation, she is going to oversee the operations, growth, and building of Disney’s world parks.
Beneath Filippatos’ purview might be Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Lodge in partnership with Oriental Land Corporate, and the most recent Disney park coming to Abu Dhabi in partnership with Miral.
Lisa Baldzicki Named New Disney Shopper Merchandise President
Lisa Baldzicki is promoted to President, Disney Shopper Merchandise, the place she is going to proceed to construct at the nice momentum and evolution of Disney’s world user merchandise trade.
Baldzicki used to be maximum not too long ago head of Parks Product Construction & Retail for Disney Shopper Merchandise, the place she outlined the imaginative and prescient and trade technique for retail product and built-in stories throughout Disney’s home parks. She introduced a consumer-led vending viewpoint to the position, shaping methods that power how visitors have interaction with merchandise and types sooner than, throughout, and after acquire.
In her new position as President, Disney Shopper Merchandise, she is going to lead the continuing evolution of the worldwide retail department of The Walt Disney Corporate. The department comprises the area’s greatest licensing trade with a presence throughout greater than 100 product classes and an international achieve spanning over 180 nations.
Who’s Thomas Mazloum?
When in the past discussing Who Will Substitute Josh D’Amaro as Head of Disney Parks & Inns? on February 4th, we wrote that Mazloum will be the most blatant selection. Looks as if that grew to become out to be proper!
Mazloum is these days President of Disneyland Lodge, the place he leads 36,000 Forged Participants, Disneyland and Disney California Journey, 3 hotel motels, and the Downtown Disney District. He’s guiding the hotel throughout a thrilling time of enlargement, overseeing its seventieth anniversary party; he’s additionally shepherding DisneylandForward, which is able to free up alternatives for growth and funding in Anaheim for the following 40 years.
Significantly, Disneyland President has traditionally been a stepping-stone place to greater issues within the Disney Parks. Simply have a look at Josh D’Amaro, who held the position no longer that way back.
Mazloum took over as Disneyland Lodge President in early 2025, succeeding Ken Potrock who used to be shuffled to overseeing Primary Occasions Integration. Ahead of taking the reins at Disneyland, Mazloum spent a number of years as President of Disney Signature Studies, the place he oversaw Disney Cruise Line throughout a length of explosive growth and enlargement that’ll successfully double the fleet dimension.
Previous to main Disney Signature Studies, Mazloum served as SVP of Operations on the Walt Disney Global Lodge, overseeing 31 Disney hotel motels, in addition to Disney Springs, ESPN Vast Global of Sports activities and transportation operations. His resume reads like a biggest hits of Parks & Inns operations.
Ahead of becoming a member of Disney, Mazloum constructed a robust basis in Eu luxurious hospitality, gaining intensive revel in throughout prime‑finish motels in meals & beverage, visitor services and products, and lodge operations. He started his Disney occupation in 1998, or even left the corporate for some time to function the Leader Working Officer for Crystal Cruise Line sooner than returning to Disney in 2017.
One under-discussed facet of Mazloum’s occupation is that he used to be instrumental in dealing with the reopening of Walt Disney Global. I not-so-fondly recall observing the weekly Orange County Financial Restoration Job Power livestreams and listening to common (non)updates from Mazloum.
Our Remark
In having a look on the trajectory of his occupation over the past 6 years, Mazloum moves me as a depended on D’Amaro lieutenant who has been cycled via prime stakes eventualities that wanted each a mild contact and suggested motion.
I’ve had the risk to speak to Mazloum on a number of events at quite a lot of occasions and feature come away inspired. He understands each the operational and artistic facets of the trade, and values the visitor revel in.
Maximum not too long ago, I attended the Disneyland Industry Replace closing month. This used to be an intimate media collecting hosted by means of Mazloum and different management from the hotel, who shared plans for the longer term, in conjunction with adjustments they’ve made over the past yr to measurably support the visitor revel in.
That tournament introduced intensive face time with Mazloum, who used to be provide right through that half-day replace, handing over one presentation, observing others, after which sitting for a Q&A with media. We’ve already lined that tournament in a couple of posts, together with the next:
I nonetheless have some other put up coming about Forged Participants and coaching (very sure), in addition to the Disneyland arrival revel in stemming from what I requested throughout the Q&A, which is a lot more damaging in nature.
What I discovered maximum illuminating and bold about Mazloum throughout that used to be his dealing with of the Q&A, which might rather be described as contentious every now and then. At a large number of occasions like this, there are unserious questions requested (why it’s at all times key to head first and set the tone). In a similar way, a large number of solutions aren’t exact solutions, however as a substitute, temporarily pivot from what used to be requested into no matter remarks were ready.
That wasn’t the case with Mazloum. He confronted difficult questions and most commonly gave exact solutions, at the spot. He used to be extra candid about issues than I ever would’ve anticipated, totally spotting and acknowledging the place there’s room for development. (Akin to the coming revel in, my non-public puppy peeve!)
He used to be well-versed with on-the-ground operations, totally involved with the visitor revel in, and and wasn’t overly evasive. No longer the entire solutions have been the perfect ones that I might’ve preferred to listen to, however they have been fair. In listening to from different leaders and Forged Participants at Disneyland, it seems like making other folks really feel heard and attractive in open and collaborative dialogues is one among Mazloum’s sturdy fits. Just like D’Amaro in that regard.
Suffice to mention, there’s a explanation why I ranked him as the obvious option to prevail Josh D’Amaro as Disney Studies Chair. He’s a robust, albeit secure, variety. My best actual unhappiness is that he gained’t be round to steward the slate of initiatives at Disneyland and navigate native management in Anaheim. He’s already gotten a number of initiatives that wanted extra consideration heading in the right direction (minus Pandora, however that’s a unique tale), and my hope is that those endured to be treated correctly
I’ve by no means met Jill Estorino, the brand new Disneyland President, in any significant capability. I’ve as a lot wisdom about her as any individual who learn the bio above. She sounds spectacular in line with that, so confidently California is in succesful palms!
When discussing the rumor that Thomas Mazloum can be named the following Parks Chair, we heard from some enthusiasts who had was hoping that Disney would glance outdoor the corporate.
The pondering used to be that present management has grow to be too enamored worth will increase and are related to damaging adjustments to the visitor revel in. That it’s time for recent blood who will shake issues up. This echoes sentiment that we’ve heard right through this entire succession procedure, with many enthusiasts being dissatisfied by means of the D’Amaro determination within the first position.
Our viewpoint is that enthusiasts continuously don’t imagine the arduous realities of those positions within the yr 2026. We’ve a rose-colored glasses on, and daydream of boundless chances which are indifferent from actual global constraints, and feature little likelihood of ever turning into fact.
It’s unsuitable to suppose that some other theoretical candidate would no longer elevate costs, minimize prices, and so on. As long as the Walt Disney Corporate is publicly traded and beholden to Wall Side road buyers and analysts, those fan proceedings are at all times going to exist. The candidate who may scale back costs wouldn’t be a practical candidate within the first position, or they wouldn’t closing lengthy at the activity.
This can be a level we’ve made again and again, in all probability perfect (and at period) in My Assembly with Josh D’Amaro. That explains the crucial distinctions between he and Bob Chapek regardless of their plain similarities, why D’Amaro “will get” Disney not like many executives, and why all of this issues.
There are going to be parallels between any potential government at Disney or any publicly traded corporate, or else they wouldn’t be in that place within the first position. However that’s to not say we will have to throw our palms up within the air and argue that any government goes to be similarly dangerous.
That’s completely no longer the case, as used to be made abundantly transparent by means of the entire Chapek debacle. Inside the parameters that all of them function, there may be super berth for excellent and dangerous, “getting” what makes Disney particular or viewing it as simply some other corporate, valuing the visitor revel in, Forged Member morale, and many others.
In the long run, that is all to mention that the specifics of management do subject. Simply as we considered Josh D’Amaro as a really perfect select to be the following Disney CEO when working inside the bounds of fact, we really feel in a similar way about Thomas Mazloum as incoming Parks Chairman.
The 2 are in truth very identical, simply with other accents. Each “get” Disney, have a long time of revel in in Parks & Inns, are excellent at being attentive to stakeholders, and need what’s perfect for the visitor revel in and Forged Participants. They nail the foundational basics of what makes Disney tick, and that’s in reality necessary.
This information may well be disappointing to enthusiasts in need of to peer foundational adjustments in the way in which the Walt Disney Corporate operates; an entire paradigm shift. That priorities, philosophy and general path will stay unchanged. After all, that used to be by no means going to occur within the first position.
What this new management association guarantees is continuity, and construction off the basis and fixes made in the previous couple of years throughout the post-Chapek technology. Individually, I’m cautiously constructive. That comes to making an investment a minimum of $60 billion on theme parks, with top-down management coming from a parks individual and management that “will get” Disney, values the visitor revel in, and appreciates Forged Participants.
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OUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on Thomas Mazloum being named new Disney Studies Chairman? What about Jill Estorino as new Disneyland President? Do you settle or disagree with our review? Any questions we will will let you solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
