Top Disney Executive To Leave Company on February 22

On February 22, a long-standing executive at The Walt Disney Company will officially abandon his position, an exclusive report from Variety confirms.

Disney Executive Calls It Quits

Leo Aranguibel joined the House of Mouse in 2005 and currently serves as the vice president and head of production, operations, and strategy at The Walt Disney Company Latin America. After over 20 years, Aranguibel will leave Disney on February 22, 2026. The executive said he is stepping down to take a break and pursue other opportunities.

“This is something I have been considering for quite a while. In fact, it was almost two years ago when I first consulted our HR Head about it, and recent structure adjustments in our organization have sped this step up,” Aranguibel explained. “I’ve been with Disney for 20-plus years, not only in Latin America, but also covering EMEA [Europe, the Middle East, and Africa] and the U.S. Hispanic market as well for almost a decade, so it’s evident that it’s time for a change.”

The Disney executive said he isn’t set on retiring, but is unlikely to pursue any business endeavors in the future.

“I’m not sure if this is my last stop, but as of today, I’m inclined to believe it is,” Aranguibel told Variety. “Of course, I will remain involved in several creative initiatives, individually as well as alongside family, colleagues and friends. Still, I’m a never-say-never type of guy.”

Disney has not announced a replacement for Aranguibel.

Leonardo Aranguibel’s Legacy at Disney

Aranguibel famously coined the word “Superseries” to describe local adaptations of popular shows, a term that eventually became commonplace throughout the industry. He produced adaptations of Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy for Latin America, as well as several biography series, including Hasta que te conoci, Selena’s Secret, and Monzon: A knockout Blow. For Disney, he also produced Santa Evita and The Boss.

“I feel extremely proud of my career as a whole, and of having been part of teams that led the pace and changes in our region for more than 15 years in a row, with historical achievements,” Aranguibel said. “As we Venezuelans say, ‘Nadie nos puede quitar lo bailado’ – which means, ‘Nobody can take what we have danced away from us.’”

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