Disneyland Paris has announced that Natacha Rafalski has been appointed to the position of Présidente, effective immediately. Rafalski will take over for Catherine Powell.
What’s happening:
- Disneyland Paris has named a new successor to the position of Présidente. Natacha Rafalski has been appointed to the role effective immediately.
- Rafalski takes over for Catherine Powell who recently served as Présidente of the resort prior to being promoted to President of Disney Parks Western Region in March 2018.
- Rafalski has been with The Walt Disney Company for 23 years and has served in a variety of senior leadership roles throughout the world. She joined Disneyland Paris in 2017 as Chief Financial Officer and has overseen real estate, transformation, corporate alliances, and operating participants.
- In this new role, Rafalski will be responsible for bringing Disney magic to life for nearly 15 million guests each year at Disneyland Paris. She will lead a team of 16,000 Cast Members and oversee two theme parks, eight hotels, a 27-hole golf course, and Disney Village—the resorts entertainment and shopping district.
- Rafalski will also be on the team overseeing the expansion for The Walt Disney Studios Park, announced earlier this year.
What they’re saying:
- President of Disney Parks Western Region, Catherine Powell: “It is a very exciting time for Disneyland Paris as we continue to transform our organization and move forward with the expansion of our resort. Natacha has proven to be an exceptional leader with a global viewpoint who has the versatility and experience needed to lead the continued success of Disneyland Paris.”
- Présidente of Disneyland Paris, Natacha Rafalski: “I am incredibly honored and excited to assume this position at such a transformational time for the resort. France holds a special place in my heart, and I’m looking forward to leading and growing the business as we continue to build on and expand the promise of Europe’s top tourist destination.”
About Natacha Rafalski:
- Natacha Rafalski was born in Montreal, Canada, and raised just outside of Paris, France.
- She holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of California at Los Angeles and a B.A. in Mathematics/Economics, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of California.
- She began her career with Disney in 1995 and has held various positions in corporate treasury and finance including a key role on the Shanghai Disney Resort negotiation team. She also held roles that included oversight for corporate finance and projects related to Disneyland Paris.
- Prior to joining the Disneyland Paris team, she was CFO for The Walt Disney Company Greater China headquartered in Shanghai between October 2013 and October 2017.
- Rafalski has been a key champion and leader for Diversity and Inclusion at Disneyland Paris, establishing a woman’s leadership group, D Elles P and encouraging Cast Members to form a network dedicated to women.
- In addition to the many initiatives she continues to lead for Disneyland Paris, she was among the 2017 winners of Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 16th Annual Women Worth Watching Awards.