Josh D’Amaro Appointed as Next Chief Executive Officer of Disney
Josh D’Amaro has been selected by the Board of Directors of The Walt Disney Company to serve as the company’s next Chief Executive Officer, effective March 18, 2026, following the Annual Meeting. He will succeed longtime CEO Robert A. Iger and is expected to join the Disney Board immediately after the transition.
The decision was reached through a unanimous vote held on Monday. D’Amaro currently serves as Chairman of Disney Experiences, the company’s largest business segment, generating $36 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025 and employing approximately 185,000 Cast Members and employees worldwide.
James Gorman, Chairman of the Disney Board, said Josh D’Amaro demonstrated inspiring leadership, strategic vision, and a deep passion for the Disney brand. He noted D’Amaro’s track record of blending storytelling with technology and driving business growth through major global expansions.
Robert A. Iger praised D’Amaro’s ability to combine creativity with operational excellence, calling him the right leader to guide Disney forward. Iger will continue to support the company as Senior Advisor and a Board member until his retirement on December 31, 2026.
Alongside the leadership change, Dana Walden has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, effective the same date. Walden, currently Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, will report directly to D’Amaro and oversee storytelling and creative alignment across all Disney platforms.
Walden has led Disney’s global entertainment, media, and streaming businesses and will now focus on ensuring consistent creative expression across all audience touchpoints while advancing enterprise-wide initiatives.
The leadership transition follows an extensive succession planning process initiated in January 2023, when the Board formed a special Succession Planning Committee. The committee evaluated internal and external candidates and worked closely with Iger to prepare leadership successors.
D’Amaro, 54, joined Disney in 1998 and previously served as President of Disneyland Resort and President of Walt Disney World Resort. Since becoming Chairman of Disney Experiences in 2020, he has overseen 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Imagineering, and digital ventures including a collaboration with Epic Games.
He has played a key role in developing immersive experiences such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen. Future projects include new developments inspired by Monsters, Inc., Avatar, Cars, and Disney Villains, as well as a new park planned in Abu Dhabi.
D’Amaro holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University and has worked across finance, strategy, marketing, creative development, and operations throughout his Disney career.
As Disney enters its next chapter, D’Amaro will be supported by a senior leadership team with decades of experience, including Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman and ESPN Chairman James Pitaro. The company’s leadership aims to maintain continuity while advancing creative, financial, and strategic goals.
The transition comes after a period of transformation led by Iger, who returned as CEO in 2022 to restructure the organization, restore financial discipline, and position Disney for long-term growth across studios, streaming, sports, and experiences.
D’Amaro expressed gratitude to the Board and to Iger for his mentorship, stating that Disney’s future remains strong and driven by its people, creativity, and innovation.
