Bruce Vaughn has decided to leave Walt Disney Imagineering, leading Disney to name Bob Weis president of Walt Disney Imagineering.
In addition, Anthony Connelly will join WDI from Disney Cruise Line and take on the role of Executive Vice President, WDI Business Operations and Project Delivery. Anthony brings 26 years of Disney experience in a variety of leadership positions.
The changes create an interesting dynamic for WDI, with Bob Weis acting as a creative leader and Connelly overseeing the financial and construction management aspects of WDI.
Though previously announced, a big part of the streamlined Walt Disney Imagineering relies heavily on franchise leaders, with Scott Trowbridge leading Star Wars and Joe Rhode leading MARVEL projects.
Overall these changes should be positive for Disney fans, returning a lot of the decision making power to the creative side of Walt Disney Imagineering once projects are approved. Here’s how the new corporate structure at WDI will work:
Reporting to Bob Weis:
- Franchise Leaders –
- Scott Trowbridge (Star Wars)
- Joe Rohde (Marvel)
- Creative Leaders –
- Tom Fitzgerald
- Daniel Jue
- Joe Lanzisero
- Zsolt Hormay
- Creative Entertainment Leaders –
- Matt Almos
- Kevin Eld
- Dana Harrel
- Michael Jung
- Jon Snoddy who will continue to lead WDI R&D including Disney Research
- Patti Burke who will lead the newly created WDI Centers of Excellence
- Chris Kubsch, Show Studio Leader, will add oversight of the Entertainment Design and Delivery Studio reporting to Patti Burke
Reporting to Anthony:
- Craig Russell – as referenced above
- Regional Leaders –
- Kathy Mangum (WDW, DCL, DLP)
- Howard Brown (Asia)
- TBD (DLR/Aulani)
- Daniel Carney – Environmental Design & Engineering Studio Executive
- Mark Mesko – Ride Engineering Studio Executive
- Michael Cawlina – Construction Management Studio Executive
- Zach Riddley – Strategic Menu Planning and Project Development Executive
- Justin Newton, leader of Project Management and Project Controls will report to Zach Riddley
- Strategic Park Menu Planning, also under Zach, will dual report to Bob Weis
How does John Lasseter, Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering, fit into this restructuring? Is his role increased or reduced? Where does that leave imagineers such as Josh Shipley or Lisa Girolami?