Disney is about to have its fourth board chair in just over three years, as the company continues to navigate ongoing tumult in the media industry.
Chairman Mark Parker will step down at the end of the year, the company announced Monday. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman will replace Parker starting in 2025.
“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as Disney’s chairman at this important moment in the company’s history,” Gorman said in a statement.
Parker, a board member for nine years, just stepped into the chairmanship role last year, replacing Susan Arnold, who held the role for just over a year until her term expired. Arnold had served on Disney’s board for a decade and a half.
Among the decisions Gorman will be tasked with: Replacing Bob Iger as CEO. The company also announced that a replacement for Iger will be named in early 2026. Iger returned as CEO last year after a brief hiatus. Gorman said Monday that choosing a new CEO is “critical,” and the announcement of the timing reflects progress in Disney’s decision to replace Iger.
Parker, when he was announced, said replacing Iger would be among his top priorities. Instead, Parker and the board quickly renewed Iger’s contract through 2026. Although Iger said he would not stay longer than two years in his latest stint at the company, the extension meant that he will serve as CEO in his second go-round at least four years.
Gorman currently serves as the chair of Disney’s succession planning committee, which is responsible for the CEO search. But that has proven difficult as Disney navigates choppy waters: The movie industry is slipping as people increasingly stream shows and films online, but Disney’s streaming business only just recently became profitable. And linear television is continuing to decline, and the future of ESPN, ABC, and other stations have weighed heavily on Iger and Disney as a result.
Meanwhile, Disney in its latest earnings report announced somewhat lackluster spending from visitors to its US parks, which the company chalked up to jitters about the economy.
The company said Gorman will prove a valuable leader to help navigate Disney through it all.
“James Gorman is an esteemed leader who has become an invaluable voice on the Disney board since joining earlier this year, and I am extremely pleased that he has agreed to assume the role of chairman upon my departure,” said Parker, in a statement. “Drawing on his vast experience, James is expertly guiding the extensive search process for a new CEO, which remains a top priority for the board.”
Source: https://edition.cnn.com
