What to know about new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro
Josh D’Amaro has overseen theme parks in Florida, California, France, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, totaling 185,000 employees
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Disney $DIS finally named CEO Bob Iger’s successor, announcing Tuesday that parks boss Josh D’Amaro will take over the storied media and entertainment conglomerate in March.
Since Iger returned to his role leading the Walt Disney Company in 2022, people have been closely watching the succession race to replace the now 74-year-old boss.
In a statement, Iger said, “Josh D’Amaro is an exceptional leader and the right person to become our next CEO,” adding, “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,” Iger said.
But who is D’Amaro?
We’ve broken down what you need to know about Disney's new boss.
D’Amaro most recent role
Before the announcement Tuesday, D’Amaro has served as the chairman of Disney Experiences — also known as Disney Parks — since 2020. That means he oversees the theme parks in Florida, California, France, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, totaling 185,000 employees.
He is also shepherding the construction of a new theme park in Abu Dhabi, built in partnership with Miral, a United Arab Emirates-based leisure and entertainment company.
D’Amaro said last May that Disney’s resort in Abu Dhabi “will be the most advanced and interactive destination in our portfolio.”
D’Amaro’s Disney tenure
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D’Amaro graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in business administration. Before Disney, he worked at The Gillette Company in Boston.
In 1998, he took a role at Disneyland Resort as a senior business planner. He stayed at Disneyland for eight years, holding a variety of positions. He then moved around Disney, although he mostly stayed within the parks business. His roles include: vice president, finance, Global Licensing for Disney’s Consumer Products Division between 2008 and 2010; vice president of Animal Kingdom Park between 2012 to 2014; and senior vice president, Resorts and Transportation, from 2014 to 2017, managing Disney’s resort transportation system.
In 2018, D’Amaro became president of Disneyland Resort, before taking on the chairman of Disney Experiences role.
D’Amaro’s life outside Disney.
D’Amaro serves on the Make-A-Wish America’s National Board of Directors. He is also part of the United States Travel Association Leadership Roundtable.