In a recent interview with Yahoo Finance, Kevin Mayer, Candle Media co-founder and former Disney executive, shared insights into Disney CEO Bob Iger's ongoing succession planning.
Mayer, an advisor to Iger, also provided a glimpse into whether the current Disney boss may make one more big move before his planned departure at the end of 2026.
Mayer believes that the company is well-prepared for a smooth transition this time around. "Bob's there for two and a half more years. There's plenty of time," Mayer stated. He highlighted what he believes is a strong management team already in place: "They have a very, very solid management team across the board."
There are four internal candidates reportedly in the running for the Disney CEO role, which Iger occupied from 2005 to 2020 before his return in November 2022: Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chiefs of the entertainment division; Josh D'Amaro, head of the parks division; and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN.
As for the timeline, Mayer indicated that an announcement might come sooner rather than later. "We may know this year, but he's got two and a half more years, so it wouldn't surprise me if it extended a little bit beyond this calendar year," he said.
Speaking of the future, one of the intriguing aspects of Mayer's comments was the hint at Iger possibly making another significant strategic move before his departure. "Do I think he wants to do one more big thing before he leaves? Possibly." Mayer speculated. This raises the question of what kind of legacy-defining move Iger might still be considering, especially given his history of transformative acquisitions like Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox.
You can see the full interview at Yahoo Finance.
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