Bob Iger Joins Thrive Capital as Advisor After Departure From Disney
The former Disney CEO returns to venture investing, focusing on AI, media, and the future of entertainment
Bob Iger isn’t exactly the type to slow down, and his next move proves it. Just months after stepping down from the top job at The Walt Disney Company, the longtime executive is re-entering the world of venture capital, signaling a continued interest in shaping the future of media, technology, and beyond.
What’s Happening:
- Iger is officially joining Thrive Capital as an advisor, marking a return to the firm where he previously held a venture partner role following his initial Disney departure in 2021, according to The Wrap.
- This new position will see Iger working closely with both the firm’s internal team and founders across its expansive portfolio, offering strategic insight rooted in decades of leadership at one of the world’s most influential entertainment companies.
- Founded by Joshua Kushner, Thrive has built a reputation for backing high-impact companies across tech, media, and culture. Its portfolio includes major names like Spotify, A24, and OpenAI where Iger has already had some history.
- During his previous stint with Thrive, Iger connected with Sam Altman, even helping broker a now-defunct $1 billion deal between OpenAI and Disney centered on generative AI video technology.
- While that partnership ultimately didn’t come to fruition, it underscores Iger’s ongoing interest in technologies, particularly AI, and how they intersect with storytelling and content creation.
- His return to Thrive comes at a moment when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries, a shift Kushner himself described as one of the most consequential of our time.
- His move back into venture capital suggests a shift from day-to-day operations to a broader, more advisory role, one that allows him to influence innovation across industries rather than within a single company. It also positions him at the forefront of conversations around the future of entertainment, technology, and how the two continue to converge.
- For an executive who helped guide Disney through massive acquisitions, the launch of Disney+, and a rapidly evolving media landscape, this next chapter feels less like a retirement and more like a strategic pivot.
More Bob Iger News: