Josh D'Amaro Officially Named The Walt Disney Company's Next CEO, Will Replace Bob Iger in March 2026

Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro volition officially win Bob Iger to go The Walt Disney Company's adjacent Chief Executive Officer connected March 18, 2026.

The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors and its chairman, James Gorman, shared the news, saying D'Amaro volition measurement into this caller relation astatine the upcoming Annual Meeting connected March 18. D'Amaro volition besides beryllium appointed arsenic a manager of the committee instantly pursuing the meeting.

Bob Gorman, Josh D'Amaro, Dana Walden, and Bob Iger. Image Credit: Disney

“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional person and the close idiosyncratic to go our adjacent CEO,” said Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “He has an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a heavy knowing of what resonates with our audiences, paired with the rigor and attraction to item required to present immoderate of our astir ambitious projects. His quality to harvester creativity with operational excellence is exemplary and I americium thrilled for Josh and the company.”

D'Amaro, who has been with the institution for 28 years, is the "architect of the largest enlargement successful Disney Experiences' history, and has led the conception to caller heights financially, creatively, and successful impermanent satisfaction." As Disney Experiences Chairman, helium oversaw 185,000 formed members and the largest concern conception astatine The Walt Disney Company with yearly gross of $36 cardinal successful FY2025.

D'Amaro has served arsenic Chairman of the Disney Experiences conception since 2020, and helium antecedently held the roles of President of Disneyland Resort and President of Walt Disney World Resort. He was besides a cardinal fig successful the improvement of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Avengers Campus, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen.

He was besides spearheading specified aboriginal projects arsenic the Monsters Inc.-themed onshore astatine Hollywood Studios, the caller Avatar destination astatine Disneyland, Magic Kingdom's Cars-themed Piston Peak National Park country and the upcoming Villains-themed land.

“I americium immensely grateful to the Board for entrusting maine with starring a institution that means truthful overmuch to maine and millions astir the world,” said Josh D’Amaro. “Disney’s spot has ever travel from our radical and the originative excellence that defines our stories and experiences. There is nary bounds to what Disney tin achieve, and I americium excited to enactment with our teams crossed the institution and superb originative partners to grant Disney’s singular bequest portion continuing to innovate, grow, and present exceptional worth for our consumers and shareholders. I besides privation to explicit my gratitude to Bob Iger for his generous mentorship, his friendship, and the profound interaction of his leadership.”

Dana Walden and Josh D'Amaro. Image Credit: Disney

Alongside D'Amaro's appointment, the committee announced that Dana Walden, Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment, volition go The Walt Disney Company's President and Chief Creative Officer. As Co-Chairman, Walden "led Disney’s world-renowned, award-winning amusement media, news, and contented businesses globally, including Disney’s streaming businesses."

This assignment is besides a historical one, arsenic Walden volition beryllium the archetypal pistillate president of The Walt Disney Company. She volition study to D'Amaro and "ensure that storytelling and originative look crossed each assemblage touchpoint consistently bespeak the brand, prosecute audiences astatine scale, and beforehand halfway concern objectives, portion driving enterprise-wide initiatives and translating imaginativeness into action."

“Dana Walden is an fantabulous person who commands tremendous respect from the originative community,” Iger said. “Given that creativity is astatine the bosom of everything Disney does, she is simply a fantastic prime to service successful this caller enactment role. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated large cognition astir the galore facets of our businesses and brands, and is precise good prepared to beryllium President and Chief Creative Officer.”

As for Iger, helium has mentored these candidates and volition proceed connected arsenic a Senior Advisor and a subordinate of the Disney Board until his status from The Walt Disney Company connected December 31, 2026.

Iger served arsenic The Walt Disney Company's CEO from 2005 - 2020, but helium was reinstated successful 2022 aft the committee dismissed then-CEO Bob Chapek.

“I americium incredibly arrogant to measurement distant astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile Disney’s aboriginal has ne'er been brighter,” continued Iger. “I’m assured Disney volition proceed to innovate and enactment the tone of Walt astatine the bosom of everything it does – from its caller parkland successful Abu Dhabi to the groundbreaking partnerships conscionable announced with OpenAI and the NFL, to the countless upcoming originative projects that volition enthrall audiences astir the world. Disney has shaped who I americium arsenic a leader, and I volition ever beryllium grateful to this bonzer institution and for the accidental to pb it implicit each these years.”

For much connected what D'Amaro volition beryllium successful complaint of, cheque retired what's connected the mode successful the satellite of Star Wars, Marvel, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland.

Adam Bankhurst is simply a writer for IGN. You tin travel him connected X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and perceive to his show, Talking Disney Magic.