Credit: Inside The MagicWith less than a week left in 2025, it’s quickly becoming decision time for The Walt Disney Company. With current CEO Bob Iger’s contract set to expire at the end of 2026, Disney must find a successor to replace Iger and assume the reins of the company.
Disney previously stated that it would decide on a new CEO in “early 2026,” but did not specify the exact date. When former CEO Bob Chapek took over for Iger after his first retirement, announced in February 2020, he immediately assumed the role of CEO. Don’t expect that kind of drama, but February is rapidly approaching.
With Disney remaining tight-lipped on who will take over the CEO role, there have been a few rumblings about who will succeed Iger. Here is the latest news.
CNBC Asks Media Executives
CNBC recently asked 16 media executives to predict the future of their business for the coming year. The outlet granted the executives anonymity, allowing them to speak freely about their predictions. Obviously, with the CEO position at a major media/entertainment company like Disney becoming available, these executives had some thoughts on who would be the next Disney CEO.
The executives believed that Josh D’Amaro, the Chairman of Disney Parks, would be the next Disney CEO. D’Amaro has been the frontrunner for the past few months, so this isn’t a surprise. The prevailing wisdom among executives in the business is that the job is D’Amaro’s to lose.
Bloomberg Poll
Bloomberg surveyed 700 media executives and asked who they thought would be the next CEO of Disney, and the answer, once again, was D’Amaro. The Disney Parks Chairman received 212 votes, just over 30 percent.
Co-Chairman of Disney Entertainment Dana Walden came in second with 22 percent, while Bob Iger came in third with 18 percent. In the same poll in 2024, D’Amaro wasn’t even in the top three, with Walden taking first place.
D’Amaro’s Job to Lose
The prevailing wisdom suggests that Josh D’Amaro will be the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company, with an announcement expected in the coming months. Both industry executives and those who cover Disney appear to be in agreement on the choice of D’Amaro.
But does that mean he’s the right choice? It’s important to remember that before ascending to the top job, Chapek was the Chairman of Disney Parks and Experiences, the same job D’Amaro currently holds.
There are scars remaining from the Chapek era, and Disney fans blame him for the loss of beloved park perks, such as the Magical Express and complimentary Magic Bands. However, it’s essential to remember that D’Amaro also played a role in those decisions.
D’Amaro, like Chapek, doesn’t have the experience in Disney films that Walden has. And remember that Disney is just starting to dig out of the hole that the Chapek-era films put it in.
There is no perfect candidate for this job, and this isn’t to say that D’Amaro won’t excel in the position. Anything is possible. For Disney fans, they don’t know what they don’t know, and that’s scary.
Buckle up, Disney fans. It appears that Josh D’Amaro is about to take the reins, and we’re all along for the ride.
What do you think of Josh D’Amaro taking over The Walt Disney Company? Let us know in the comments.