Walt Disney Company Names James P. Gorman as Chairman, Effective January 2, 2025

The Walt Disney Company Board Names James P. Gorman as Chairman, Effective January 2, 2025

James P. Gorman, Executive Chairman of Morgan Stanley, will take over as Chairman of the Walt Disney Company Board of Directors on January 2, 2025. He succeeds Mark G. Parker, who is leaving the Disney Board after nine years. Gorman will step down from his role at Morgan Stanley at the end of 2024.

Currently leading Disney’s Succession Planning Committee, Gorman is actively involved in identifying and preparing the company’s next CEO. This transition in leadership marks a significant moment for Disney as it navigates the evolving media landscape.

Related – Disney Executives to Discuss Fiscal Full Year and Q4 2024 Results in Upcoming Webcast

“James Gorman is an esteemed leader who has become an invaluable voice on the Disney Board since joining earlier this year, and I am extremely pleased that he has agreed to assume the role of Chairman upon my departure. Drawing on his vast experience, James is expertly guiding the extensive search process for a new CEO, which remains a top priority for the Board,” said Parker, who is Executive Chairman of NIKE, Inc. “As I prepare to leave the Board to focus on other areas of my work, I am proud of Disney’s renewed position of strength and excited for the company’s future, and I want to thank my fellow directors, Bob Iger and his exemplary management team for their continued strong leadership and dedication.”

“The Disney Board has benefited tremendously from James Gorman’s expertise and guidance, and we are lucky to have him as our next Chairman – particularly as the Board continues to move forward with the succession process,” Iger said. “I’m extremely grateful to Mark Parker for his many years of Board service and leadership, which have been so valuable to this company and its shareholders, and to me as CEO.”

“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as Disney’s Chairman at this important moment in the company’s history,” Gorman said. “In the short time I have had the opportunity to work with Mark, I have come to appreciate and deeply respect his authentic leadership, humility and intelligence. I know all Directors join me in saying we have been honored to serve with him as the Chairman of the Board.”

“A critical priority before us is to appoint a new CEO, which we now expect to announce in early 2026. This timing reflects the progress the Succession Planning Committee and the Board are making, and will allow ample time for a successful transition before the conclusion of Bob Iger’s contract in December 2026,” Gorman said.

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