Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has weighed in to supply congratulations and recommendation to long run CEO Josh D’Amaro. This ‘fast hit’ put up covers the message, in large part as a result of Eisner has turn out to be a fan-favorite since leaving the corporate. We additionally proportion sentiment from any other former Disney government about D’Amaro.
In the event you ignored it, the Walt Disney Corporate Board of Administrators introduced nowadays that it elected Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro to turn out to be Leader Government Officer, efficient on the upcoming Annual Assembly on March 18, 2026. D’Amaro is a 28-year Disney veteran, is the architect of the biggest world enlargement in Disney Reviews historical past, and has led the section to new heights financially, creatively, and in visitor pleasure in keeping with TWDC.
Along D’Amaro’s appointment as CEO, Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Leisure, has been named President and Leader Inventive Officer of The Walt Disney Corporate, additionally efficient March 18, 2026. On this ancient new position for Disney, Walden will document without delay to D’Amaro. Upon this transition, longtime Disney CEO Robert A. Iger will proceed to function Senior Guide and a member of the Disney Board from March 18th till his retirement from the corporate on December 31, 2026.
Towards that backdrop, right here’s the message from Michael Eisner, posted to Twitter:
Congratulations to Josh D’Amaro for changing into the CEO of the Walt Disney Corporate, and congratulations to Chairman James Gorman for making one of these smart select in addition to selling Dana Walden to president and leader ingenious officer.
My recommendation to Josh is proceed Bob Iger’s technique that creativity will deal with income, at all times give protection to the emblem, and stay shut the phrases of Walt Disney: “We like to entertain kings and queens, however the necessary factor to keep in mind is that this—each and every visitor receives the VIP remedy.” Excellent good fortune.
This isn’t the primary time Eisner has weighed on Disney trade in recent times. He publicly sponsored the corporate right through the proxy battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz, criticized the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, and introduced his relatively unfiltered tackle numerous different issues. (He additionally introduced pretty tributes to 2 Disney-adjacent architects past due final 12 months.)
Suffice to mention, Eisner has been opinionated in recent times on Twitter. He additionally introduced his opinion at the Bob Switch again in November 2022:
The Walt Disney Corporate has suffered in recent times. It is a just right time for us to keep in mind the phrases of Walt Disney who stated, “Everyone falls down. Getting again up is the way you learn how to stroll.”
Eisner used to be prior to now bullish on Bob Chapek, admitting to a are living tv target market in January 2022 (pre-firing) that he used to be the one that had employed Chapek: “He used to be superb at Disney when I used to be there. He took our house video trade from a apartment to a sell-through trade. That used to be very dangerous. He did an excellent activity within the parks. I’m a shareholder. I believe he’s going to do really well.”
I might danger a bet that Eisner didn’t individually rent (and even know) D’Amaro from his time at Disney. Their paths almost certainly wouldn’t have crossed for the ~5 years that their tenures at Disney overlapped; D’Amaro would’ve been too low-level right through the late-stage Eisner generation.
As a common subject, Eisner has been lovely supportive of his successor and the present Disney regime. I might danger a bet that a part of this can be a non-public connection, and viewing the Iger generation as a continuation or correction, of types, of his personal legacy.
On the other hand, any other former cherished Disney government, Matt Ouimet, who did paintings with D’Amaro weighed in by the use of his LinkedIn web page (observe: this used to be posted earlier than the legitimate announcement).
Ouimet spent 17 years at Disney, serving as president of Disney Cruise Line from 1999 to 2023 earlier than being named president of Disneyland Hotel. He’s cherished by means of diehard Disneyland fanatics and extensively credited for revitalizing the lodge after a length of malaise, and shepherding the vastly a success fiftieth Anniversary. He’s nonetheless considered because the gold same old for a parks government by means of many. Anyway, right here’s what Ouimet needed to say:
Possibly I’m too as regards to it, however it kind of feels to me that a good portion of the U.S. public may title the CEO of the Walt Disney Corporate whilst that very same team would fight to get a hold of any others (with the exception of most likely a couple of billionaire founders).
Historians will have to be at liberty to proper me, however this fascination most likely began within the mid-50’s with Walt individually internet hosting a display that developed to have quite a lot of names, with my reminiscence calling it The Glorious Global of Disney.
In a while, there have been episodes hosted by means of Michael Eisner within the chief-storyteller mode harking back to Walt.
Bob Iger was acquainted to the general public two decades in the past right through the CEO succession from Michael.
It sort of feels to me that for some explanation why in Disney’s case, it isn’t sufficient to have CEO who’s an achieved trade government. The ones which are dependable to Disney seem to need anyone who they imagine stocks their dedication to the emblem, whilst additionally being an astute government. In Disney’s case, I if truth be told assume Wall Side road buyers acknowledge the significance of the general public, brand-steward position.
This leads me to Josh D’Amaro, one of the vital main applicants to exchange Bob Iger. (For the file there are different applicants, none of whom I do know individually.)
I labored with Josh two decades in the past and feature watched his occupation advance from a distance.
Imagine this:
Working the parks, inns and cruise line is a shockingly complicated trade. However it’s tangible and predictable. With uncommon exception, its trade type evolves linearly. It may be arranged in geographically logical elements that compartmentalize right into a manageable construction.
It is important to to acknowledge that studio trade is completely other area. It calls for now not most effective trade savvy, nimble responses and imaginative and prescient, however astute courting abilities. It’s the latter one that can end up probably the most difficult and most beneficial.
Must Josh be the following CEO his deep working out of the parks department will unfastened him to focal point his consideration at the extra dynamic strains of commercial and identify the sorts of value-added relationships that experience helped the corporate develop lately.
In spite of everything, I want to upload that nobody does this by myself and most likely Josh’s largest power is that gifted other people will wish to paintings for him and so will third-party companions.
I don’t make this example simply because I love Josh, I additionally make it as a result of I want to see Disney proceed to achieve success for many years to return (and simply possibly we’d get to peer Josh on Sunday evening television).
We concept this used to be value listening to each because the point of view of a cherished ex-executive and with none transparent conflicts or vested hobby in publicly praising D’Amaro. He left Disney lengthy and and is retired, so it’s now not like Ouimet is providing this to reinforce his occupation potentialities.
Simply according to what I’ve already heard from buddies on the corporate, I might danger a bet that we’re going to peer many extra messages like this from individuals who have labored with Josh D’Amaro.
I will be able to recall neither seeing nor listening to anything else of the kind in February 2020 when Bob Chapek used to be promoted. I do recall a large number of rejoicing again on that fateful day in November 2022 when he used to be in any case proven the door.
As we’ve stated a number of instances in the previous couple of years, DisneyWar is definitely past due for a sequel or 3. The unique ebook chronicled the upward thrust and fall of CEO Michael Eisner, however didn’t in reality seize the ascension of CEO Bob Iger, him righting the send, acquisitions of Pixar, Surprise, Lucasfilm, and twentieth Century Fox, or anything else past that.
Iger’s early days helming Disney would make for an enchanting learn. As would the rigors and tribulations of Walt Disney Global’s NextGen initiative. Similar is going for the struggles in bringing Shanghai Disneyland to fruition. Or in the upward thrust and fall of Jay Rasulo, Tom Staggs, Kevin Mayer, and extra within the first spherical of succession struggles.
Then there used to be the wild experience that used to be the COVID closure and Chapek generation, and naturally, the Bob Switch that adopted. To not point out Starcruiser, Imagineering’s failed Florida transfer, Disney vs. DeSantis, Iger vs. Elon, SaveDisney 2.0, and so a lot more. Possibly as an alternative of DisneyWar 2, there will have to be a Disney remix of “We Didn’t Get started the Hearth” with all of the fast hits.
Anyway, my hope is that there is not any ebook or track subject material in the following few years. Whilst I do admit that I’ve loved a large number of the palace intrigue, and I consider Ouimet that the position of Disney CEO is exclusive and calls for a public-facing brand-steward and storyteller, it could even be great if the D’Amaro generation is a little more uninteresting. For the well being of the corporate and its popularity, fewer headlines could be optimum. Confidently D’Amaro heeds Eisner’s recommendation and lives as much as Ouimet’s reward.
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OUR THOUGHTS
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