Time Magazine has a feature on Disney’s Chairman and CEO Bob Iger which focuses on his performance and ability to manage creative talent. Perhaps the most interesting paragraph is on the acquisition of 21st Century Fox:
Iger’s vision for Fox—along with some $71 billion—is what helped him land his biggest fish yet. “Rupert believed that where it was at the time, which was August of 2017, that Fox wasn’t necessarily as well set up for long-term success in the businesses that were transforming right before his eyes,” he says. Curiously, Murdoch puts it slightly differently. “Bob called into my place one day and we got talking, and he said, ‘Well, look, perhaps we should put everything together,’” says Murdoch, who was struggling to increase his company’s stake in the U.K.’s Sky at the time. “I thought it was a good idea. He probably hit me at a moment when I was frustrated.” (In the end, Sky went to Comcast, and Fox is selling its portion of the company.)
While little news is in the feature, there are several quotes from those that know Bob that reveal a bit as to how he views his role and his approach to leadership.
- Apple CEO Tim Cook: On how he operates Disney like a tech company: “Both are trying to skate to where the puck is going and not where it is. We’re making calls years in advance.”
- Wall Street Analyst Tim Nollen: ““His record has been fantastic.“I think what he did right was recognize the company’s strengths and invest in those strengths.”
- Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Jennifer Lee: “By the time we arrive at what we feel is the right film to go next, he’s been on the journey with us the whole time and we’ve had a lot of smaller conversations. He definitely respects the process, that it’s an evolution.”
- Wall Street Analyst Brian Wieser: “I think it’s safe to say what he does well is management. He’s never tried to be the thought leader in any particular sphere. There’s no one thing of which you’d say he was the oracle.”
- Rupert Murdoch: “He’s refined the business. He built this thing around reliable franchises, whether it’s with Pixar, with Lucasfilm or with Marvel, which then play right into the theme parks and everything.”
- Former Disney President Michael Ovitz: ““He’s quiet and strong and doesn’t pound the table, but he gets his point across.”
- Bob Iger: “My perfect day is a day where I’m engaged the most in creative processes and with creators. Any day that has none of that is a bad day.”