Credit: Inside the MagicBob Iger is back at Disney, but he may be staying longer than we first thought.
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Bob Iger rejoined Disney in 2019, with Disney terminating former CEO Bob Chapek’s contract after just a few short years. Iger’s return was met with lots of cheers, with many fans seeing him as the ideal head of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Chapek, who is both Iger’s successor and predecessor, became CEO of The Walt Disney Company in early 2020, making decisions and changes that would solidify him as possibly the most divisive and controversial figure in the company’s entire history. Disney was able to eventually pick up on the controversial nature of this CEO, announcing that longtime Disney veteran Bob Chapek would be departing from the company in late 2019.
However, Iger’s second term may last a lot longer than most had expected. Iger was originally supposed to serve as head of Disney only until 2024 when a new successor would be picked. Iger extended his contract until 2026, giving Disney and him more time to pick a worthy replacement.
However, analysts suggest that Iger may be staying on even longer.
According to a new report from CNBC, analysts predict that Bob Iger will once again extend his contract as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. This executive, who successfully predicted that Iger would extend his contract earlier in 2023, states that Disney is at a crucial point with regard to streaming. Disney now owns and operates multiple platforms and companies, with its own Disney+ service still failing to become profitable. Bob Iger has made massive leaps in the right direction, which is exactly why this executive predicts he will once again extend his contract.
Iger first became CEO in 2005, taking over the role from another Michael Eisner, another Disney veteran.
Analysts also predicted who will take over as CEO when Bob Iger eventually does leave, which we covered in a previous story. Bob Iger will undoubtedly leave a rich and treasured legacy behind at Disney. Bob Iger guided Disney through some of its most exciting and transformative years, having a hand in some of Disney’s major acquisitions like 20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm, and Marvel Studios. Iger was also instrumental in developing some of the largest and most immersive expansions within Disney’s theme parks, such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora – The World of Avatar.
The parks have always been incredibly important to Iger, as have Disney movie production studios. There’s plenty more on the horizon, with Disney pledging to spend billions at its theme parks over the next ten years.
What are your thoughts on Bob Iger? Who was your favorite Walt Disney Company CEO?