EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s incoming CEO Josh D’Amaro joked about Succession – the show – and bonded with his new no. 2 Dana Walden and outgoing chief executive Bob Iger at a company town hall Wednesday.
Executives gathered at the main theater on the Disney lot in Burbank for the event, which was beamed via Zoom to staffers around the world. “The vibe was good,” one person present told Deadline. “It was really uplifting.”
Attendees said D’Amaro came across as charming and he and Walden, who joined halfway through, seemed to have a very nice rapport, with both looking happy and excited. The two executives are, in fact, said to have a close working relationship that appears to have endured a long and grueling audition for the top job.
D’Amaro referenced the CEO selection process, alluding jokingly to the HBO series Succession. He said he hasn’t watched it — “My wife told me not to.” He acknowledged that succession can often tear companies apart, but not the process at Disney, which he said “brought us closer together.”
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“To be invited into a room two days ago and have Bob and James Gorman on the other side of the door asking me to be CEO, it’s surreal. A lot goes through your head in that moment,” he said. “I got a little embarrassed. I got a little choked up when they let me know, because it’s a big responsibility.”
“Of course, I want to make Bob proud. I believe in the future. I’m so optimistic about where this company can go, and I feel like my experiences over those 30 years have set me up well to hold on to the beautiful legacy of this company and push us into this bold future,” he added.
Walden reminisced about a walk she joined D’Amaro on at Disney World while the two were at a corporate retreat and how she was impressed by how he swooped in Superman-style to help a crying four-year-old they came across as a sudden rainstorm gusted.
“We were at Walt Disney World, and it started pouring rain. We came across a little boy who had been separated from his family and was sobbing. I watched Josh in action. It was as if he didn’t have to think about it. He moved quickly, calmly, and with so much care,” she said. “The team reunited the child with his family so fast, and watching Josh in that moment spoke volumes. He cares deeply about every person who walks into our parks. He cares about people.”
Iger talked about his legacy and about being asked to come back to steer the company for a second round. He praised Disney’s strong executive bench, saying, “I leave with a tremendous sense of confidence in the hands I’ve left this company in.”
ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir was a surprise guest, he flew in and interviewed Iger, D’Amaro and Walden. Muir previously sat down with D’Amaro and Iger for a televised segment that aired Tuesday evening.
The town hall ended with a Cannes-style, lengthy standing ovation for Iger after D’Amaro thanked him for his long and fruitful years of service to the company.
D’Amaro was unveiled to the world as Disney’s new CEO yesterday morning after a nearly two-year search by the board of directors, one where it became clear rather early on that he was the likely front runner. The chairman of Disney Parks & Experiences will take the reins on March 18 after the annual meeting of stockholders.
Walden, co-chair of Disney Entertainment, who was promoted to President and Chief Creative Officer, a new role.
ger will step down in March but continue on as a Disney employee in the role of strategic advisor until his contract expires at the end of 2026. The longtime chief had initially been expected to stay on overseeing a transition through then but taking on a lower profile role.
It’s been a wild ride with this being Disney’s third CEO transition in six years. Bob Iger, named chief executive in 2005 succeeding Michael Eisner, left abruptly in 2000 and then parks chief Bob Chapek stepped in. His brief tenure only lasted until 2022, when the board fired him and Iger returned. New board chairman James Gorman took charge of selecting a more permanent replacement.
The news “represents progress and change, which is critical, and it’s the result of a very healthy process. Closure is wonderful, and to be able to hand this job and this company over to someone that I’ve grown to like and respect and appreciate over the years is a great feeling,” said Iger.
More to come