In a shocking move that surprised absolutely no one, The Walt Disney Company announced today that its Board of Directors voted unanimously to name Josh D’Amaro as its new Chief Executive Officer. D’Amaro will replace Bob Iger as the head of the media giant, who has served as Disney CEO from 2005 to 2020 and then again from 2022 to 2026. Because nothing says “stable leadership” like the same guy running the company on two separate occasions like it’s a Netflix series with an unexpected revival season.
D’Amaro currently serves as Chairman of Disney Experiences, leading the company’s portfolio of theme parks and hotels. He has been with the company since 1998, when he began working at the Disneyland resort. Which means he’s been there long enough to witness the evolution of ticket prices from “your first-born child” to “your entire bloodline’s future earnings.”
In a press release, Iger said of D’Amaro, “Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO.” Which is corporate-speak for “I’ve trained him well to take the fall when the next earnings report is disappointing.” Iger continued, praising D’Amaro’s “instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand” and “deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences.” Translation: he knows that people will pay $25 for a Mickey-shaped ice cream bar and line up for three hours to ride a 3-minute attraction.
The press release announcing D’Amaro’s promotion claims he has been “instrumental in expanding Disney’s iconic franchises through the creation of immersive, story-driven experiences at Disney’s theme parks, such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the Marvel-themed Avengers Campus, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and World of Frozen.” Which is impressive until you realize these are all just different ways to separate parents from their money while their children scream for overpriced merchandise.
This is not the first time Disney has announced a successor to Iger. In early 2020, he was replaced by Bob Chapek, who held D’Amaro’s job as head of theme parks prior to his appointment. Iger became Disney’s executive chairman—but then in the fall of 2022 the Disney board removed Chapek and brought back Iger as CEO following a disappointing earnings report and assorted other controversies during his tenure. Disney is obviously hoping for a smoother transition to a new leader this time. Or at least a transition that doesn’t involve bringing back the previous CEO like it’s a bad rom-com where the main character realizes they should never have left their high school sweetheart.
D’Amaro will officially replace Iger at the company’s annual meeting on March 18. Iger plans to remain with Disney as a Senior Advisor and member of the board until he retires from the company at the end of 2026. Because nothing says “I’m really retiring this time” like a four-year transition period where you stick around to second-guess every decision the new guy makes.
Disney fans everywhere are celebrating this news by immediately speculating how long it will take before D’Amaro inevitably raises park ticket prices, disappoints them with a live-action remake, or fails to meet Wall Street’s quarterly expectations. The over/under is currently set at 6 months. Place your bets now!
Finn McFrame, celebrated satirical mastermind and self-proclaimed “Emperor of Irony,” started his illustrious career as a cinematographer, where his expertise in capturing every single frame of a squirrel stealing a baguette earned him accolades at obscure film festivals.
Born in the glamorous town of Boring, Oregon, Finn grew up with dreams of being a Hollywood director until he realized that satire, not cinema, was his true calling—or at least the one that let him sleep until noon.
Finn McFrame: changing the world, one satirical lens flare at a time.
