The Walt Disney Company to name CEO Bob Iger’s successor in 2026

The winds of change will be blowing through The Walt Disney Company in the coming months. This morning, it was announced that James P. Gorman, Executive Chairman of Morgan Stanley, will become Chairman of the Board of Directors in January, beginning a process of transition at the top of the Company.

The person retiring from Disney will be current Chief Executive Bob Iger, who will remain in his position as CEO until the new appointment is made in 2026. Gorman will join the Succession Planning Committee on January 2, succeeding Mark Parker, who is leaving the Disney board after nine years, and begin the search for Iger’s successor. His experience in CEO succession planning will serve the company well.

“James Gorman is an esteemed leader who has become an invaluable voice on the Disney Board since joining earlier this year, and I am extremely pleased that he has agreed to assume the role of Chairman upon my departure,” Parker said in a statement. “Drawing on his vast experience, James is expertly guiding the extensive search process for a new CEO, which remains a top priority for the Board.”

Iger’s final departure from the company?

Iger served as CEO for more than 15 years before his retirement in 2020, and some of the company’s growth with major entertainment franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel, as well as the purchase of Pixar and Fox, are credited to him. In February 2020, Iger retired, ushering in the Bob Chapek era, but after two tumultuous years during the COVID-19 pandemic, Iger returned in late 2022 to succeed Chapek as CEO.

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