Disney appoints theme park head Josh D'Amaro as CEO.

The Walt Disney Company announced on Tuesday the appointment of Josh D'Amaro, head of the theme park business, as the new CEO. This move ends years of uncertainty over Disney's succession plan and puts a seasoned insider in the helm position - at a time when the rise of artificial intelligence technology and industry consolidation is profoundly disrupting the media industry landscape. 54-year-old Josh D'Amaro will be taking over from 74-year-old Bob Iger. The veteran CEO, through high-profile acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, has shaped the modern Disney business empire and is a key figure in Disney's current success. Succession planning has long been a weakness for this legendary entertainment giant: the company has repeatedly delayed Bob Iger's retirement plan, and after the business was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, Bob Iger was brought back and replaced his hand-picked successor Bob Chapek.