Disney Ushers In New Era as Josh D’Amaro Named CEO and Dana Walden Takes Creative Helm
Published on 2/3/26 by Craig Smith
The Walt Disney Company has announced a major leadership transition that will see longtime CEO Bob Iger step down from the top job earlier than his current contract end date, with Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro set to become Chief Executive Officer and Dana Walden elevated to the newly created role of President and Chief Creative Officer (CCO). Both appointments take effect at Disney’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders on March 18, 2026, while Iger will remain as Senior Advisor and a member of the Board until his retirement on December 31, 2026.
Disney’s Board of Directors confirmed that it voted unanimously to elect D’Amaro as the next CEO, describing him as a 28-year Disney veteran who currently leads the company’s largest business segment, Disney Experiences, which generated $36 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025 and employs 185,000 Cast Members and employees worldwide. As Chairman of Disney Experiences since 2020, D’Amaro has overseen 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, and other signature experiences, as well as Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Consumer Products.
Executive Transition: Key Takeaways
- New CEO: 28-year Disney veteran Josh D’Amaro (current Chairman of Disney Experiences) will become CEO on March 18, 2026.
- New Creative Lead: Dana Walden has been named to the historic new role of President and Chief Creative Officer, reporting to D’Amaro.
- Iger’s Future: Bob Iger will step down as CEO but remain as a Senior Advisor until December 31, 2026.
- Strategic Shift: This “power duo” structure pairs D’Amaro’s operational and parks expertise with Walden’s creative and media background.
In its announcement, Disney highlighted D’Amaro’s role in driving major expansions such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen, and noted that he will inherit a slate of announced projects including a new park in Abu Dhabi and large-scale expansion plans at Walt Disney World. Board Chairman James Gorman praised D’Amaro’s “inspiring leadership and innovation” and “keen eye for strategic growth opportunities,” while Iger called him “an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO.”
The transition also formalizes Iger’s long-signaled desire to step back from day-to-day leadership before his current contract expires at the end of 2026. Reporting on the announcement notes that Iger’s contract as CEO runs through December 31, 2026, but that D’Amaro will assume the role at the March 18 shareholders meeting, with Iger staying on as Senior Advisor and Board member until his retirement at year-end.
Alongside the CEO change, Disney is reshaping its creative leadership structure by promoting Dana Walden to President and Chief Creative Officer, a first-of-its-kind role for the company. Walden currently serves as Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, where she has overseen Disney’s global entertainment media, news, and content businesses, including its streaming services.
In her new position, effective March 18, Walden will report directly to D’Amaro and be responsible for ensuring that Disney’s storytelling and creative expression “across every audience touchpoint” reflects the brand and supports key business objectives. Walden’s remit will expand to include oversight of Disney’s film and television production and distribution, while she continues to lead Hulu, Disney+, and The Walt Disney Company Marketing. She has signed a new contract running through March 2030.
New Disney Leadership Roles (Effective March 18, 2026)
| Executive | New Title | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Josh D’Amaro | Chief Executive Officer (CEO) | Overall Strategy, Parks, Global Operations |
| Dana Walden | President & Chief Creative Officer | Storytelling, Media, Studios, Streaming |
| Bob Iger | Senior Advisor | Mentorship, Transitional Guidance |
ESPN will remain a separate unit under Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who had also been considered a contender in the succession discussion, while recently appointed Chief Marketing and Brand Officer Asad Ayaz and Pitaro will both report to D’Amaro under the new structure.
Disney emphasized that these moves cap a deliberate, multi-year succession planning effort. A Board-level Succession Planning Committee, formed in early 2023, evaluated internal and external candidates, organizational frameworks, and potential impacts across the company before settling on the D’Amaro-Walden leadership alignment. Both executives received extensive mentorship from Iger and engaged directly with all Board members as part of the process.
For fans, employees, and shareholders, the transition marks the end of an era and the beginning of another. Iger, whose nearly two decades as CEO were marked by major acquisitions and a return in 2022 to steer Disney through industry disruption, will exit with the company describing itself as “more agile and more resilient” than it was three years ago. D’Amaro and Walden now inherit responsibility for guiding Disney’s next chapter—balancing ambitious growth in parks and experiences with an increasingly integrated, globally coordinated creative operation under the new CCO structure.
- News Topic: Disney Company News, Disney Cruise News, Disney Movie News, Disney Parks News, Disney TV News, DVC News
