Disney’s current CEO Bob Iger and his successor Josh D’Amaro appeared tonight, February 3, on World News Tonight with David Muir on ABC.

Iger & D’Amaro on ABC World News Tonight

Disney announced this morning that Josh D’Amaro will replace Bob Iger as the next CEO, effective March 18, 2026. Previous candidate Dana Walden will be the President & Chief Creative Officer. She will also oversee Disney’s film production.

This evening Iger and D’Amaro sat down with David Muir on ABC’s World News Tonight and topics of their conversation included balancing the legacy of the company with technology such as AI.

D’Amaro on Legacy

When asked about legacy, D’Amaro said:

“I’ve had the great benefit and the great honor of working with Bob [Iger] for all of those years, first from a distance and now much more up close and personal, and I’ve watched probably the best of the best balance those two things. As Bob talks about being close to the fans and the guests, this is something that’s important to me. I spend a lot of time in our beloved parks that hundreds of millions of people enjoy every year and I see firsthand the importance of the brand, what Disney means to them, what it means to these families. And when you feel that and you understand the legacy of this place and the fact that you need to keep pushing forward and being innovative.”

D’Amaro on Ai

When D’Amaro was asked how he sees Ai, he said it should always be second to human creativity:

“Disney is so special because of how creative we are and human beings that are generating that creativity. In my mind, that never gets replaced. And in fact, this isn’t even theory anymore. This is real, it’s something that we’re embracing. If you ever walk over to studios today and see [artists] using AI, harnessing 70 years of history, this is when the Walt Disney Company thrives, when technology intersects with brilliant people and creativity, and we’re in that moment right now.”

D’Amaro on Risk Taking and Disneyland Abu Dhabi

“Bob is a big risk taker and I am a big risk taker,”

“and I think you see that on full display today. I mean just several months ago, we announced a massive expansion in a new part of the world, in Abu Dhabi. We did that quickly, we did it ambitiously, and we knew ther was a new part of the world to serve.”

“We have a great partner that we are woring with and this part of the world represents a population that is young, that is huge. In fact, within a four hour flight radius of Abu Dhabi, a third of the worlds population is there.”

Bob Iger on What the Next CEO Has To Do

Bob Iger, was asked by Muir what the next CEO has to do to make sure Disney childhood memories are a part of American life going forward:

“something that is critical in terms of what the next CEO appreciates and what the next CEO is capable of doing,

and that is truly, truly appreciating Disney’s position in the world, and to people. Disney’s not just another company. Disney really is a cultural institution that has touched hundreds of millions of people for now over 100 years.

And having that appreciation, knowing the place Disney occupies in people’s lives, I think, is essential to anyone occupying this position, in terms of their ability to move the company forward. That careful balance between legacy and innovation.”

The full interview can be seen on Disney+ beginning at 10:30 pm EST.

Take a look at D’Amaro and Walden’s salaries and what James Gorman had to say about the search for Disney’s new CEO.

What do you think of their appearance on World News Tonight? Let us know on social media.

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