Credit: Inside the MagicThe head of the Disney+ streaming service in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) has abruptly quit the company, joining the ranks of numerous executives at the Mouse House who are fleeing for safer positions.
The Walt Disney Company is in a period of turmoil, to put things mildly. Although former CEO Bob Iger was brought back to the company in 2022 amid a growing battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and crashing finances, things have not really ever settled down since. Instead, it seems that executive leadership has just gotten more and more unstable.
Related: Bob Iger’s Promised $2 Billion Disney Expansion Disappears After 6 Years
The latest defection is Disney+ EMEA Senior Vice President, Direct to Consumer and General Manager Luke Bradley-Jones, who was pivotal in the rollout of the streaming service across a huge swath of the globe. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bradley-Jones is leaving to join the upcoming digital transition of The Economist.
But, worryingly, it seems that the company does not have a plan for replacing Luke Bradley-Jones, which suggests that it was not prepared for yet another executive departure. While vice presidents come and go in any company, the head of a major streaming service for an entire global region is not someone who is necessarily easily replaced.
In a statement, Bradley-Jones said, “I’ve loved my time at the Walt Disney Company and the opportunity it’s given me to work on the highest quality stories and with the most talented and creative people. It’s been a privilege to lead the incredible launch and growth of Disney+ across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and I know the business will continue to flourish under Jan’s stewardship and the brilliant DTC teams across the region.”
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In recent months, leadership has been chaotic on a historic level. CEO Bob Iger is currently facing a proxy battle showdown against billionaire Nelson Peltz and former CFO Jay Rasulo that could very well see him being ousted from the company, in addition to increasingly loud questions of when he plans to voluntarily step down. Meanwhile, Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden is reportedly consolidating power to potentially succeed him and de facto getting rid of ABC News head Kim Godwin in the process. Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey is shockingly leaving the company after 15 years, just as it needs to revitalize its live-action film slate.
Who’s next, Disney executives?
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