A report from Bloomberg suggests that the search for Disney’s next CEO has been narrowed down to internal candidates, specifically the four division heads. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Back in November 2022, just weeks after Iger returned, the New York Times produced two names in the hunt for the next CEO, both internal candidates and both division heads.
The New York Times piece suggested that Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro and Disney General Entertainment Chairman Dana Walden were on a shortlist. While that may have been true at the time, Iger ended up extending his contract through 2026, giving the Board more time to find the right fit.
The Bloomberg piece says that Iger is spending time with the four division heads to help them understand how he operates, and to give them more experience outside of their immediate responsibilities. The four candidates are:
- Josh D’Amaro | Chairman, Disney Experiences
- Alan Bergman | Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment
- Dana Walden | Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment
- James Pitaro | Chairman, ESPN
Here’s a slightly deeper dive on each of the candidates.
Josh D’Amaro | Chairman, Disney Experiences
Josh D’Amaro is the Chairman of Disney Experiences, which is responsible for bringing the magic of Disney into the lives of individuals across the world through a variety of experiences and platforms. Josh has been instrumental in guiding the segment’s growth and evolution, and has held many other key leadership positions during his long-standing career with Disney.
A graduate of Georgetown University with a degree in business administration, Josh began his career at Disney in 1998 at Disneyland Resort and has since held leadership positions spanning various areas of the company. These include roles with Adventures by Disney, Sales and Travel Operations at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Finance for the Global Licensing division of Disney Consumer Products, and Business Planning and Strategy Development for the Disneyland Resort.
Josh served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Strategy for Walt Disney World Resort, leading the site’s Resorts and Transportation Operations, and was also Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Adventures by Disney. He went on to become President of Disneyland Resort, where he spearheaded the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and supported the development of the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus.
Josh was named President of Walt Disney World Resort in 2019, where he led all facets of business for the resort’s four theme parks, two water parks, more than two dozen resort hotels, four golf courses, two full-service spas, an extensive multi-modal transportation system, Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the Disney Springs entertainment-shopping-dining complex.
In addition, he led America’s largest single-site workforce, which consisted of more than 75,000 cast members, and oversaw the start of a historical expansion that created the Disney Skyliner aerial transportation system, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Disney’s Riviera Resort. He also kickstarted plans for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in 2021, contributing to the reimagination of the EPCOT theme park and new resort-wide entertainment and experiences.
Today, Josh is instrumental in bringing Disney Parks, Experiences and Products initiatives to fruition, harnessing the magic of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, Twentieth Century Studios and National Geographic to immerse individuals and families into unforgettable experiences. Disney Parks, Experiences and Products encompasses Disney’s renowned travel and leisure businesses, including six theme park-resort destinations in the United States, Europe and Asia; a cruise line; a vacation ownership program; and a guided family adventures business. It also consists of Disney’s global consumer products operations, including the world’s leading licensing business for toys, apparel, home, goods, digital games and apps, along with the world’s largest children’s print publisher and the shopDisney e-commerce platform
Alan Bergman | Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment
As Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Alan Bergman oversees Disney’s full portfolio of entertainment media and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming business. In this role, Bergman leads Disney’s world-renowned filmmaking studios that produce high-quality cinematic storytelling for both theatrical and streaming release, including Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures. He also oversees the marketing, operations, technology, theatrical distribution, and business groups across these brands, as well as Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group, producer of popular stage shows on Broadway and around the world. He also has shared oversight of direct-to-consumer, technology, and ad sales groups, as well as international content and operations.
Bergman has served in senior leadership roles at The Walt Disney Studios since 2001, most recently as Chairman from 2020 to 2023 and as Co-Chairman from 2019 to 2020. He was President of the group from 2005 to 2019 after being named its Chief Financial Officer in 2001. In these roles, Bergman was deeply involved in leading the Studios’ integrations of Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and the Fox film studios and its expansion into the production of content for Disney’s streaming services. During his tenure, Disney has set numerous box office records: As of 2022, it led the global box office for the seventh consecutive year, and it holds the record for the highest box office gross in a single year with $11 billion worldwide in 2019.
Since Bergman became President of the Studios division in 2005, Disney has released four of the six films in history that have passed the $2 billion mark at the global box office – “Avengers: Endgame,” “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” and “Avengers: Infinity War” – and 22 other films that have surpassed $1 billion, including the live-action “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast,” “Frozen” and “Frozen 2,” “Toy Story 4,” and “Incredibles 2.” Other notable theatrical and streaming releases during Bergman’s tenure include Disney Animation’s “Zootopia” and “Encanto”; Pixar’s “Coco” and “Soul”; Disney’s “Aladdin,” “Cruella” and “Hocus Pocus 2”; 20th Century Studios’ “Free Guy” and “Prey”; Searchlight’s “Nomadland” and “The Banshees of Inisherin”; Lucasfilm’s “The Mandalorian,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Andor”; and Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “WandaVision,” and “Loki.”
Bergman joined The Walt Disney Company in 1996 as part of the corporate controllership group with a focus on Walt Disney Studios initiatives, later moving to the operations planning group, where he was responsible for developing the Company’s annual operating plan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from UCLA.
Bergman is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as the Television Academy. He represents Disney on the Motion Picture Association Board of Directors and also serves on the American Film Institute’s Board of Trustees.
Dana Walden | Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment
As Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment, Dana Walden oversees Disney’s full portfolio of entertainment media, news and content businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming business. In this role, Walden leads Disney’s world-renowned, award-winning content brands and businesses, including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective. She also oversees the marketing, operations, distribution and business groups across these brands and has shared oversight of direct-to-consumer, technology, and ad sales groups, as well as international content and operations.
Under Walden’s leadership, ABC has secured its position as the No. 1 entertainment network for three consecutive seasons – the first time that has happened in 25 years. Since she began overseeing Hulu’s signature Original series in 2019, the streamer has seen record viewership for such hits as “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Kardashians” and “Only Murders in the Building.” Additionally, ABC News continues to dominate as the #1 news network in America, with such iconic programs as “20/20,” “Good Morning America,” “Nightline” and “World News Tonight.”
Over the past three decades, Walden has overseen the development and production of some of the most celebrated shows in the history of the television industry, including “24,” “Glee,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Homeland” and “This Is Us”; culture-defining franchises like “American Horror Story,” “black-ish,” “Family Guy” and “The Simpsons”; unscripted stalwarts like “American Idol,” “Dancing With The Stars” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”; classic children’s programming like “Bluey” and “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”; and the most current breakout hits, “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Dopesick,” “The Dropout” and “The Old Man.” In 2022, programming under Walden’s oversight earned an impressive 288 Emmy® nominations across daytime, primetime, news and documentary and children’s and family categories; as well an Oscar for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised). Throughout her career, teams under Walden’s supervision have been responsible for programs that have won more than 1,000 awards.
Walden previously served as chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content overseeing original entertainment and news programming for Disney’s streaming platforms, broadcast and cable networks. Prior to joining Disney, Walden was CEO of Fox Television Group, which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products and the syndication supplier, 20th Television. In the four years she oversaw Fox Broadcasting Company, she took the network from fourth place to first. During her 25 years at 21st Century Fox, the studios overseen by Walden amassed 184 Emmy wins, 29 Golden Globes, 17 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 24 Peabody Awards and Humanitas Prizes.
In 2021, Walden was given a Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business. She has received the National Association of Television Program Executive’s Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award and was named MIPCOM’s Personality of the Year. She sits on the board of directors for Live Nation Entertainment, UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Saban Free Clinic of Los Angeles. Additionally, she is a member of USC’s President’s Leadership Council and the President’s Circle of the NAACP.
James Pitaro | Chairman, ESPN
Jimmy Pitaro was named Chairman, ESPN in February 2023, responsible for full operational control and financial responsibility for ESPN, one of the three core business segments of The Walt Disney Company. This includes the management and supervision of the company’s full portfolio of sports content, products and experiences across all of Disney’s platforms worldwide, including its international sports channels, creative development, marketing, sales and distribution.
Mr. Pitaro most recently served as Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, focusing on ESPN’s live sports programming, as well as sports news and original and non-scripted sports-related content, for The Walt Disney Company’s cable channels, ESPN+, and ABC.
Prior to that, Mr. Pitaro was named ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, on March 5, 2018, after serving as Chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI). At that time, he brought his history of leading businesses focused on consumer products, digital initiatives and sports to ESPN at a pivotal point in the company’s 38-year history: a time of unprecedented technological advancements and rapidly changing consumer habits.
Since February 2016, Mr. Pitaro had served as Chairman of Disney’s consumer products and interactive media division, the world’s largest licenser of consumer products. Among his many responsibilities, he oversaw the creation of branded digital and physical products, including a robust digital game slate. He and his team brought to life the characters and stories of four iconic brands – Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel – across toys, apparel, home goods, the world’s largest children’s publisher, hundreds of Disney store locations worldwide, the e-commerce destination shopDisney, and the Disney Digital Network of social and digital channels that reach one out of every three U.S. social media accounts.
Mr. Pitaro originally joined The Walt Disney Company in 2010 as Co-President, Disney Interactive, where he successfully led the turnaround of the digital media and gaming division.
Mr. Pitaro came to Disney from Yahoo, where he rose to Head of Media. He was in charge of, and set strategy and executed growth driving initiatives for, Yahoo’s media properties, including Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Music. In 2009, he was named to Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” annual list of top achievers in sports for his dynamic leadership and “breathless flurry of market-moving pacts” with major sports rightsholders and media companies. In 2020, he was named Sports Business Journal’s Sports Executive of the Year.
Mr. Pitaro earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1991 from Cornell University. He earned his Juris Doctor from St. John’s Law School in 1994. After practicing law in New York for five years, he was named head of business affairs for Launch.com in 1999 before joining Yahoo.
A native of Westchester County, N.Y., Mr. Pitaro is ESPN’s eighth leader.
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