In a new interview with CNBC, Michael Eisner, former CEO of The Walt Disney Company, talked about Disney’s switch from Bob Iger to Bob Chapek as CEO.
“I am a big fan of Disney,” Eisner said. “I am a fan of both Bobs. Yes I hired him [Chapek]. Is he the same executive as I am, or Bob [Iger] is, or anybody is? He is his own guy. He was very good at Disney when I was there. He took our home video business from a rental to a sell-through business. That was very risky. He did a very good job in the parks. I am a shareholder. I think he’s going to do very well.”
Eisner was CEO from 1984 to 2005, hiring Chapek in 1993 as the marketing director for Buena Vista Home Entertainment. Iger took over after Eisner left the company and then stepped down as CEO in early 2020, handing the reigns over to Chapek, although staying on as a chairman through 2021.
“We’ve talked about it,” Eisner said about Iger stepping down. “Having 50 unanswered emails, and seven scripts you haven’t read and 30 phone calls you haven’t returned…Getting off that treadmill is not a horrible thing. I think he is interested in writing another book, looking at his opportunities. He is not 25 years old, as I’m not. Between ABC and Disney, he spent many years at one institution. I think he is coming up for air and you will hear about him and things he will be doing and his wife Willow [Bay] will be doing in the future.”
About both Iger and Chapek, he said, “There is no loser here. I don’t think the shareholders are losers here, or the consumers are losers here, or certainly either of them.”
Regarding how business has changed during the pandemic, he said, “Bob [Iger] did extremely well. We did OK. I wouldn’t discount Disney. Disney went through…this pandemic. That does change a lot of things. I wouldn’t throw away your Disney tickets to the theme parks quite so early.”
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Source: Deadline
He’s spoke of shareholders at least twice naming himself as one. There’s nothing wrong with that in itself. I do have an issue as a fan of the brand that the focus on the shareholders is far too front and center on the latest two CEO’s primary focus. I tend to believe that if you take care of the guests to the best of your ability the money will come without the nickel and diming happening in recent years.
I used to like Eisner. He is suffering a bit of the old ‘Nelsonian Blindness’ here regarding Chapek. The parks are going downhill fast. What is wrong with these people?
See. Eisner has confidence and understands the problems Disney has to face. I think people online should give Chapek a chance.
Guests are the losers of this story. They will spend more money on parking, fastpass, and overpriced food then the whole cost of the admission ticket.
I wonder if Michael Eisner would come back he used to be better than the last two maybe he could get Disney back on track before it is changed to where Walt would not know it used to be what he created. What shoe will be next to fall changing the name to where Walt Disney will not be shown?
Interesting comments in this article. Eisner thinks that nickle and diming the public is okay because it doesn’t affect shareholders. I’m sure the company is profiting from charging for everything, but it is transitory. Disney fans will make the 50th their last trip for a while.
Sounds like he is getting paid off by both Bobs in the form of high shareholder value. Meanwhile, Disney inflation is running rampant and the Guest experience is at its worst. But who cares when your stock is high, right?!?!?
In other words, Eisner, being the prick he’s always been, is taking the bias route to cover up the bad decisions Chapek has made at the Cast Members’, the actors, the artists, and the studio’s expense. Three of Pixar’s recent films have been shoved into Disney+ despite being originally set into theaters, one or two of the actors from Marvel had to sue Chapek’s ass for a breach of contract by cutting the agreed term of payment, and the Disney Parks are still understaffed to the point fo exhaustion! It all comes down to the three worst people in the company’s history: The Bob, the Bob, and the Eisner. Wake up and smell the popcorn, people!
How can he not see how much of a horrible job Bob is doing? Smh.. We need a better-minded CEO. Who knows what he is doing, and the correct way.