The Walt Disney Company announced that Josh D’Amaro will be the next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after a unanimous vote was held on Monday, February 2.
Josh D’Amaro
He will take the position during the Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026. The Board also intends to appoint D’Amaro as a director immediately following that meeting. Dana Walden was also a candidate, and she is named the next President & Chief Creative Officer.
“Josh D’Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand and its people – all of which make him the right person to take the helm as Disney’s next CEO,” said James Gorman, Chairman of The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors. “Throughout this search process, Josh has demonstrated a strong vision for the company’s future and a deep understanding of the creative spirit that makes Disney unique in an ever-changing marketplace. He has an outstanding record of business achievement, collaborating with some of the biggest names in entertainment to bring their stories to life in our parks, showcasing the power of combining Disney storytelling with cutting-edge technology. The Board believes he is exceptionally well prepared to guide this global company forward to serve our consumers around the world and create long-term value for shareholders.”
“Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” said Robert A. Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “He has an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences, paired with the rigor and attention to detail required to deliver some of our most ambitious projects. His ability to combine creativity with operational excellence is exemplary and I am thrilled for Josh and the company.”
“I am immensely grateful to the Board for entrusting me with leading a company that means so much to me and millions around the world,” said Josh D’Amaro, incoming CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Disney’s strength has always come from our people and the creative excellence that defines our stories and experiences. There is no limit to what Disney can achieve, and I am excited to work with our teams across the company and brilliant creative partners to honor Disney’s remarkable legacy while continuing to innovate, grow, and deliver exceptional value for our consumers and shareholders. I also want to express my gratitude to Bob Iger for his generous mentorship, his friendship, and the profound impact of his leadership.”
D’Amaro graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University in 1993. He worked in the finance department of the Gillette Company before joining Disney in 1998.
Until 2008, he was vice president of sales and travel trade marketing. He was also director of business planning and strategy development from 2005 to 2006. He became chief financial officer of Disney Consumer Products Licensing in 2008.
In 2010, D’Amaro was promoted to VP of Adventures by Disney. From 2013 to 2014, he was VP of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, overseeing initial construction of Pandora – The World of Avatar. He then became senior vice president of Walt Disney World’s Resort & Transportation Operations in September 2014 and remained in that position until February 2017.
Later that year, he became chief creative officer of Walt Disney World. In 2018, he moved to California, where he was president of Disneyland Park for a year and a half. He then returned to Florida as president of Walt Disney World.
When Bob Chapek was promoted from Disney Experiences chairperson to CEO of Disney, D’Amaro took over Chapek’s position. He has remained head of Disney Experiences for almost six years, overseeing management of all six Disney resorts and Disney Cruise Line, including 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, the upcoming Disneyland Abu Dhabi, and eight cruise ships (and more on the way), as well as Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Imagineering, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Disney Institute, and Storyliving by Disney. He leads the worldwide team of 185,000 cast members.
During his tenure as chairperson, Avengers Campus opened at Disney California Adventure, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway debuted at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Tokyo DisneySea expanded with the acclaimed Fantasy Springs, multiple World of Frozen lands have been developed, a Zootopia land opened at Shanghai Disneyland, Walt Disney Studios Park was transformed into Disney Adventure World, and new areas inspired by Cars and Disney Villains were announced as part of the largest-ever expansion to Magic Kingdom.
D’Amaro joined the Make-A-Wish America board of directors in 2023. He is also a member of the United States Travel Association Leadership Roundtable.
Search for the Next Disney CEO
Iger initially stepped down from the CEO position and Chapek took over in 2020. Iger remained executive chairman of the board through 2021 and then retired. 11 months later, Disney’s board fired Chapek and Iger returned under a two-year contract. It was quickly extended through 2026.
James P. Gorman led the search for Disney’s next CEO. He was brought in as chairman of the board in 2024 after his retirement from Morgan Stanley. Disney soon after announced their intention to name a new CEO in early February.
D’Amaro has been the long-time favorite for the position. Also under consideration were Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, fellow co-chair Alan Bergman, and ESPN chairperson Jimmy Pitaro.
Previous Disney CEOs included Roy O. Disney, Donn Tatum, Card Walker, Ron W. Miller, and Michael Eisner. Walt Disney was President and Chairman but never CEO.
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