During a Wednesday town hall streamed to Disney employees around the world, Josh D’Amaro spoke about being offered the position of Disney CEO and bonding with Dana Walden, who will work alongside him in the newly-created role of President and Chief Creative Officer.
Disney Town Hall
D’Amaro and current CEO Bob Iger gathered with executives at the main theater of the Walt Disney Studios lot. The event was streamed live via Zoom to worldwide employees. One person who was present told Deadline, “The vibe was good. It was really uplifting.”
Attendees said D’Amaro came across as charming and seemed to have a nice rapport with Walden, who joined halfway through. Both looked happy and excited. Walden was the other frontrunner in consideration for the CEO position but reports indicate she’s happy with her custom-created role.
D’Amaro referenced the HBO series Succession, which he hasn’t watched. “My wife told me not to,” he said, acknowledging that succession can tear companies apart, but it actually “brought us closer together.”
Disney announced D’Amaro would be the next CEO on Tuesday. This was only the day after D’Amaro found out about his promotion, which was decided with a unanimous vote by the Disney board of directors.
“To be invited into a room two days ago and have Bob and James Gorman on the other side of the door asking me to be CEO, it’s surreal,” he said, according to Deadline. “A lot goes through your head in that moment. I got a little embarrassed. I got a little choked up when they let me know, because it’s a big responsibility.”
He added, “Of course, I want to make Bob proud. I believe in the future. I’m so optimistic about where this company can go, and I feel like my experiences over those 30 years have set me up well to hold on to the beautiful legacy of this company and push us into this bold future.”
Walden recounted a story of D’Amaro helping a four-year-old guest during a corporate retreat at Walt Disney World. The pair were walking around in the pouring rain when “We came across a little boy who had been separated from his family and was sobbing. I watched Josh in action. It was as if he didn’t have to think about it. He moved quickly, calmly, and with so much care. The team reunited the child with his family so fast, and watching Josh in that moment spoke volumes. He cares deeply about every person who walks into our parks. He cares about people.”
Iger said, “I leave with a tremendous sense of confidence in the hands I’ve left this company in.”
After interviewing Iger and D’Amaro on World News Tonight on Tuesday, David Muir appeared during the town hall for another interview with the pair as well as Walden.
At the end of the town hall, D’Amaro thanked Iger for his years of service to The Walt Disney Company, leading to a standing ovation for the outgoing CEO.
D’Amaro and Walden will officially step into their new positions on March 18, 2026. Iger will remain as an advisor until his contract expires on December 31, 2026.
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