Image: from Ashley Carter X@AshleyLCarter1
By Open Chronicle Staff
BURBANK, Calif. — The Walt Disney Company has ended years of intense succession speculation by naming Josh D’Amaro as its next Chief Executive Officer. D’Amaro, a 28-year veteran of the company and current Chairman of Disney Experiences, will officially succeed Bob Iger on March 18, 2026.
In a simultaneous historic move, the Board of Directors appointed Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, to the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer. Walden becomes the first female president in the storied 103-year history of the company.
The future of Disney: Josh D’Amaro as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, with Dana Walden set to become President and Chief Creative Officer. pic.twitter.com/jMweAABt2T
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) February 3, 2026
The Architect of Experiences
D’Amaro’s ascent marks a win for Disney’s high-performing “Experiences” division, which encompasses global theme parks, cruise lines, and consumer products. Under his leadership, the segment generated a record $36 billion in annual revenue for the 2025 fiscal year.
D’Amaro is widely credited as the architect behind Disney’s largest-ever park expansions, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the Avengers Campus. He is currently overseeing the company’s first major new international venture in a decade: a multi-billion dollar resort in Abu Dhabi.
“Josh D’Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand,” said James Gorman, Chairman of the Disney Board and leader of the succession committee.
Creativity at the Core
While D’Amaro handles the operational “flywheel,” Dana Walden will lead the company’s creative engines. Reporting directly to the new CEO, Walden will oversee the creative strategy for Disney’s film studios, streaming services, and news divisions.
The move is seen as a strategic pairing: D’Amaro, the operational master of the parks, and Walden, the creative powerhouse with deep ties to Hollywood talent. Bob Iger, who returned from retirement in 2022 to stabilize the company, praised the duo as the “right leaders for a new era.”
The Iger Legacy
Bob Iger will remain with the company as a senior advisor and board member until his final retirement on December 31, 2026. His second tenure focused on righting the ship after the rocky leadership of Bob Chapek and navigating the challenges of the streaming wars and the rise of generative AI.
The leadership transition will officially take place during Disney’s annual shareholder meeting in March. As D’Amaro takes the helm, he faces a rapidly consolidating media landscape and the task of integrating emerging technologies like OpenAI—with whom Disney recently announced a groundbreaking partnership, into the “Disney magic.”