Who will be Disney's next CEO? Here are the top contenders to succeed Bob Iger

Disney reappointed Bob Iger arsenic its main executive recently, abruptly replacing his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek, and giving Iger an aboriginal extremity — find a caller replacement during the adjacent 2 years.

Iger's attraction has rapidly turned to the different portion of his mandate from the committee — the contiguous challenges facing Disney's business, specified arsenic the company's reorganization, outgo operation and the aboriginal maturation of its streaming business. But that hasn't quelled speculation astir who his successor could be.

Media manufacture executives and institution observers are putting unneurotic a roster of imaginable candidates Iger and the committee volition apt see successful deciding whom to groom for the relation next. The excavation of possibilities see erstwhile Disney executives who were antecedently considered the aboriginal of the Mouse House earlier being passed implicit for Chapek, a fewer interior rising stars and immoderate sleeper picks who are either adjacent to the originative assemblage oregon already person ties to the company.

Another anticipation immoderate see is that Iger, whose instrumentality was applauded by Wall Street and employees, sticks astir longer than his two-year contract.

Here's a look astatine immoderate of the radical who could beryllium adjacent successful enactment to pb Disney.

Before calling Iger, Disney's committee considered a fewer interior candidates to regenerate Chapek, but yet decided they were excessively caller to instrumentality connected the assorted pressures connected the company, CNBC antecedently reported.

One of the candidates considered was Dana Walden, said radical acquainted with the substance who were not authorized to talk publically connected the topic. She is the caput of wide amusement contented and successful complaint of creating archetypal amusement and quality programming for Disney's streaming platforms, broadcast and cablegram networks.

Walden's been known to person a hands-on relation with contented creators. In Iger's archetypal memo to employees pursuing his reinstatement, helium mentioned Walden arsenic among the apical lieutenants who would enactment with him connected Disney's caller structure, which would enactment "more decision-making backmost successful the hands of our originative teams and rationalizes costs." 

"Disney volition apt take a successor that leads with endowment narration capabilities," said Eric Schiffer, CEO and president of Patriarch Organization and Reputation Management Consultants. "The downfall of Chapek is helium maimed Hollywood relationships." 

One of the notable missteps made by Chapek during his speedy crook arsenic CEO was his handling of Scarlett Johansson's wage dispute.

Walden took connected her relation successful June aft her boss, Peter Rice, was ousted aft clashing with Chapek. Like Rice, Walden came to Disney successful 2019 arsenic portion of the company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox's assets. 

When she was promoted, Chapek had called Walden "a dynamic, collaborative person and taste unit who successful conscionable 3 years has transformed our tv concern into a contented powerhouse." At the time, Disney's committee had put its enactment down Chapek. Still, Walden lacks acquisition connected concern decisions, and has focused her clip connected the originative side.

Meanwhile, Rice whitethorn beryllium funny successful returning to the institution successful immoderate capableness and has remained successful interaction with Iger, radical adjacent to the substance said.

Alan Bergman, who's been with Disney for much than 25 years, is different imaginable candidate, the radical person said. He is the president of Disney's workplace contented and spearheaded the integration of Iger's acquisitions into Disney's wide contented pipeline. He besides was mentioned successful Iger's archetypal memo.

In addition, Bergman has rapport with galore creatives successful Hollywood. Disney relies connected those relationships, and helium mightiness person a softer manus successful dealing with endowment and agents than what was seen with the Chapek and Johansson dispute. Unlike different apical executives astatine Disney, however, Bergman doesn't person acquisition successful galore different divisions and has focused overmuch of his vocation connected workplace content.

Another Disney insider floated arsenic a imaginable campaigner has been Josh D'Amaro, radical acquainted with the institution person said. 

D'Amaro is caput of Disney's parks, experiences and products, the aforesaid presumption Chapek held earlier becoming CEO. His agelong way grounds astatine the institution — helium began his vocation astatine Disney successful 1998 and his positions person mostly centered astir resorts — could bode good for him. 

As does his charisma. D'Amaro is mostly well-liked by his peers and the formed members astatine the parks and considered a beardown leader. While determination person been complaints by guests astatine Disney's home parks that prices are steep and the ticket-reservation strategy is flawed, fewer person blamed D'Amaro. Instead, Chapek has taken the brunt of criticism, with guests and analysts assuming the erstwhile CEO was liable for mounting strict guidelines for driving much gross astatine the parks and resorts.

Still, D'Amaro doesn't person the originative acquisition that Iger is often lauded for. His resume is concentrated connected the resorts and parks businesses.

Rebecca Campbell, who's presently successful complaint of Disney's planetary contented and operations, is different campaigner that Iger whitethorn favor, radical acquainted with the substance said.

The executive, who has worked successful assorted divisions of the institution aft starting connected the section TV broadside successful 1997, is besides well-liked. However, portion she besides has acquisition moving the streaming concern successful Disney+'s earlier days, she was removed from the presumption and whitethorn not person the hands-on concern acquisition to marque the pugnacious decisions facing the company's media business.

If Campbell oregon Walden were to ascend to the CEO position, it would beryllium the archetypal clip Disney had a pistillate successful the apical job.

A acheronian equine campaigner from wrong the enactment would beryllium Sean Bailey, the president of Disney Studios, 1 perceiver said. Bailey, who's maintained a narration with Iger, is well-liked by the originative community.

Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs were erstwhile Disney executives who were besides successful the moving for the occupation earlier Iger settled connected Chapek successful aboriginal 2020. 

Both near the institution aft being passed over. Many had pegged Mayer successful peculiar arsenic the apt successor. His sanction has erstwhile again floated backmost to the apical of the list.

"This occupation didn't person to happen," Engine Gaming and Media Executive Chairman Tom Rogers said connected CNBC recently, ticking disconnected the attributes needed for idiosyncratic successful this role, specified arsenic knowing the media business, a streaming way record, quality to physique up franchise contented and being a deal-maker. 

"They had that person, it was Kevin Mayer," said Rogers, the erstwhile president of NBC Cable. "They inactive person that person, he's inactive the close choice. The committee made a mistake, I anticipation they don't marque that mistake again." 

Mayer had been Disney's longtime caput of strategy, and was progressive successful deals similar the 21st Century Fox acquisition. 

Before Mayer left, helium had 1 of the astir important jobs astatine the institution — processing and launching Disney+. Since leaving Disney, helium had a abbreviated stint arsenic CEO of TikTok and aboriginal joined billionaire Len Blavatnik's concern steadfast Access Industries and became president of sports streamer DAZN.

Mayer and Staggs besides tally the amusement startup Candle Media, wherever they've flexed their M&A acquisition with caller deals similar Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine and children's contented shaper CoComelon.

For Mayer oregon Staggs to instrumentality to Disney, Iger would apt person to get Candle Media. Mayer has outstanding obligations to acquired companies and has nary involvement successful leaving his existent job, according to radical acquainted with the matter. It's imaginable Iger could spot CoComelon arsenic a bully intelligence spot acceptable for Disney+, though Iger said astatine a municipality hallway Monday helium isn't funny successful immoderate mergers oregon acquisitions for Disney successful the adjacent future.

Somewhat extracurricular of the Disney bubble, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz could beryllium different contender, the Disney perceiver noted. Kreiz has sold 2 companies to Disney: Fox Kids Europe, which sold a bulk involvement to Disney successful 2001, and Maker Studios successful 2012.