Josh D'Amaro Named Next CEO of Disney, Dana Walden to Be President and CCO

After years of speculation and a touch of corporate drama, the Disney Board of Directors has chosen the next CEO to be Experiences head Josh D’Amaro. 

What's Happening:

• This morning, it was announced that Josh D’Amaro will become the next Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
• He will take over the role effective at the upcoming Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026.
• Meanwhile, Dana Walden (current Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment) has been named President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
• After March 18, Bob Iger will remain on as a Senior Advisor and a member of the Disney Board until his retirement from the company on December 31, 2026.

What They're Saying:

• Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company, on D'Amaro: "Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO. He has an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences, paired with the rigor and attention to detail required to deliver some of our most ambitious projects. His ability to combine creativity with operational excellence is exemplary and I am thrilled for Josh and the company.”
• James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors: "Josh D’Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people – all of which make him the right person to take the helm as Disney’s next CEO. Throughout this search process, Josh has demonstrated a strong vision for the company’s future and a deep understanding of the creative spirit that makes Disney unique in an ever-changing marketplace. He has an outstanding record of business achievement, collaborating with some of the biggest names in entertainment to bring their stories to life in our parks, showcasing the power of combining Disney storytelling with cutting-edge technology. The Board believes he is exceptionally well prepared to guide this global company forward to serve our consumers around the world and create long-term value for shareholders.”
• Iger on Walden: "Dana Walden is an excellent leader who commands tremendous respect from the creative community. Given that creativity is at the heart of everything Disney does, she is a wonderful choice to serve in this new leadership role. In the years since Dana joined Disney, she has accumulated great knowledge about the many facets of our businesses and brands, and is very well prepared to be President and Chief Creative Officer."

More on Josh D'Amaro:

• Disney Parks fans are heavily familiar with Josh D'Amaro's name, having served as Disney Experiences Chairman since 2020. D’Amaro has kicked expansion and improvements into high gear since taking over the most profitable division of Disney. Currently working on a $60 billion commitment to the Disney Parks and Resort and Disney Cruise Line, his hand can be seen all around the world in massive themed entertainment projects. 
• D’Amaro earned his business administration degree from Georgetown University in 1993, before beginning a career at Disney in 1998. He worked as vice president of sales and travel trade marketing for 10 years before taking on the role of Chief Financial Officer of Disney Consumer Products Global Strategy.
• In 2010, D’Amaro transitioned into Disney Experience, where he was tapped to serve as vice president of Adventures by Disney. He held the role for three years before taking on the role of Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which saw him take a huge role in the planning stages of the park’s Avatar expansion. Upon the commencement of construction in 2014, D’Amaro took on the role of Senior Vice President of Resort & Transportation Operations. After three years, D’Amaro bounced around in huge leadership roles at the US Disney Parks, starting as COO of Walt Disney World Resort in 2017.
• His final positions prior to becoming head of Disney Experiences were his roles as Disneyland Resort President from 2018 to 2019 and Walt Disney World Resort President from 2019 to 2020. In these roles, he was praised by both guests and cast members for his active leadership. D’Amaro was often seen roaming the parks, engaging with cast members and high-fiving fans before park opening. 
• Come 2020, as Bob Iger handed the baton to Bob Chapek, Josh D’Amaro was a quick and easy choice to take over Chapek’s role as Chairman of Disney Experiences. Unfortunately for both of them, their promotions aligned directly with the global COVID-19 pandemic, giving them major challenges unseen by those that came before them. D’Amaro’s leadership and business strategy was quick to bring the parks back to the profit levels they held before, even under a CEO whose business ideals, both as head of the House of Mouse and of Disney Experiences, affected long-term relationships with Walt Disney Imagineering. 
• However, upon Bob Iger’s return, D’Amaro was able to shine, working to repair the morale between Disney’s executive branch and Disney’s team of artists, engineers, and project managers. 
• While Disney has had succession issues in the past, including the transition between Iger and Chapek, D’Amaro has so many of the amazing qualities that the Disney CEOs before him have all replicated.
• The challenge of Disney resides in a balance of being both creative and business savvy, reaching everyday people and appeasing investors. Where D’Amaro’s clear strengths lie are in his charm and his ability to connect with fans and cast members of The Walt Disney Company. This can be seen in his spectacular presentation skills at D23’s Disney Experiences Panels. 

• The biggest concern that many fans of Disney, both of media and experiences, is original ideas. In a Hollywood that feels scared to take risks, Disney is no stranger to that critique. Especially when it comes to the parks, Disney has not built an attraction untied to an existing story in over a decade, with Iger once criticizing Expedition Everest as “some nondescript coaster somewhere, that maybe is India or something.” Fans were quickly outraged by his statement, which was deemed by many as out of touch. It will be interesting to see how D’Amaro faces the challenges of the ever-growing homogenization of both films and theme park experiences. 
• Congratulations to Josh D’Amaro and The Walt Disney Company on this new chapter.