After nearly two decades leading The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger will step down as CEO and Josh D’Amaro, the current chairman of Disney Experiences, will step into the role.
Iger’s career with Disney began at the American Broadcasting Company. He joined the network in 1974 and held various roles before moving into executive positions by the 80s. Disney acquired ABC and its parent company, Capital Cities/ABC, in 1995.
Iger was named chairman of the ABC Group in 1996. In 1999, he also became president of Walt Disney International. In 2000, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of Disney. In 2005, he replaced Michael Eisner as CEO.
During Eisner’s tenure, Disney experienced a creative revival often referred to as the “Disney Renaissance,” releasing films such as “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Mulan.” However, Eisner faced internal business struggles in the early 2000s, with Walt Disney’s nephew, Roy E. Disney, becoming one of his most vocal critics. The initial struggles of Disney California Adventure Park and conflicts with Pixar added to pressure on Eisner before Iger ultimately succeeded him.
Iger officially became CEO in 2005. One of his first major moves was acquiring Pixar from Steve Jobs in 2006. The partnership with Jobs also helped Disney become one of the first companies to offer full-length television episodes on iTunes.
Pixar was not the only company acquired under Iger’s leadership. Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Lucasfilm in 2012 and 21st Century Fox in 2019, which also gave Disney a controlling stake in Hulu. Iger also oversaw the creation of Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+, which launched in November 2019.
After 15 years as CEO, Iger stepped down in 2020 and Bob Chapek took over the role. Chapek faced several challenges during his tenure and was ultimately removed by Disney’s board. In November 2022, Iger returned from retirement to once again serve as CEO.
Now, in 2026, Iger is handing the reins to D’Amaro. Currently, D’Amaro serves as chairman of Disney Experiences, a division that includes Disney’s 12 theme parks, 57 resorts and Disney Cruise Line.
D’Amaro began working at Disneyland in a strategic planning role in 1998. Throughout his time at the company, he has held several leadership roles in business strategy, marketing, creative development, finance and operations.
D’Amaro became president of Disneyland Resort in February 2018. The day he officially started the job, a ceremony was held at Walt Disney’s apartment on Main Street, U.S.A., above the firehouse. In 2019, he became president of Walt Disney World Resort. D’Amaro was named chairman of Disney Experiences in 2020.
Part of D’Amaro’s responsibilities as chairman of Disney Experiences includes overseeing Walt Disney Imagineering. In that role, he has been involved in the creation of destinations such as Avengers Campus at Disneyland Resort and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which can be found at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
D’Amaro also played a role in developing attractions such as Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and World of Frozen. One of the upcoming projects he is overseeing is the creation of a new “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land at Walt Disney World.
The “Monsters, Inc.”-themed land already sparked some controversy among fans. To make room for the expansion, Disney removed Muppets Courtyard, which included the Miss Piggy fountain, PizzeRizzo and MuppetVision 3D, the final Muppets project Jim Henson worked on before he died.
Although the Muppets will not completely disappear from the park, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, previously themed after Aerosmith, is expected to be rethemed around the Muppets. Some fans have expressed disappointment about the removal of Muppets Courtyard.
D’Amaro also oversees Disney Consumer Products, which manages licensing for Disney merchandise including toys, clothing and home goods. The division also includes Disney’s partnership with Epic Games, which allows Fortnite to feature characters owned by Disney.
D’Amaro will officially take over as CEO of The Walt Disney Company on Wednesday.
