Senior Executive VP and Chief Communications Officer Kristina Schake to Exit Disney Next Month
No replacement for Schake has been announced at this time.
While her contract was extended through June 2027, Kristina Schake, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, will exit The Walt Disney Company alongside the end of Bob Iger’s tenure as CEO.
What’s Happening:
- The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced that Kristina Schake will step down as Senior EVP and Chief Communications Officer after March 18, 2026, aligning with Bob Iger’s departure as CEO.
- The announcement comes as a surprise, as Schake’s contract was extended through June 30th, 2027 back in October.
- Schake joined Disney in 2022 and served on the senior management team, advising the CEO and Board during a period of significant corporate and industry change.
- She led communications strategy for major events, including Iger’s 2022 CEO return, proxy fight victories, streaming profitability and Hulu’s integration into Disney+, a new Abu Dhabi theme park resort announcement, ESPN’s direct-to-consumer launch, and the appointments of Josh D'Amaro and Dana Walden to expanded leadership roles.
- Prior to Disney, she was appointed by Joe Biden to lead the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine public education campaign and previously served as Global Communications Director at Instagram.
- Her earlier roles include Communications Director for Michelle Obama and Deputy Communications Director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, and co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
- As Josh D’Amaro assumes the role of CEO and new leadership visions start to take effect, there is likely to be reconstruction, reorganization, and replacements throughout many areas of The Walt Disney Company.
- Disney will name her successor at a later date.
What They’re Saying:
- Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company: “Kristina is an accomplished and respected communications leader, and Disney has been fortunate to have her expertise and insight during a dynamic period that has demanded strategic clarity and judgment. Kristina is a skilled strategist, a trusted advisor, and an admired leader whose positive impact on Disney will be lasting. She strengthened how the company aligns communications with business and strategic priorities, ensuring critical stakeholder audiences are engaged with discipline and purpose. I am grateful for her partnership and friendship, her counsel, and her innumerable contributions.”
- Kristina Schake: “I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to serve The Walt Disney Company during such a pivotal chapter in its history. The company I joined in 2022 was in a vastly different place from where it is today, both reputationally and from a business perspective, and I am proud of the work our worldwide communications team has done to support Bob as he has put Disney on a steady course for growth for the next generation of leaders. With that mission now successfully completed, I’m looking forward to my next challenge. Working alongside Bob, his management team, and so many exceptional communications professionals has been a privilege I will carry with me forever, and I leave with tremendous respect for this institution and great confidence in Disney’s future under Josh D’Amaro and Dana Walden.”
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