Less than a year ago Bob Iger retired as chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company and was succeeded by Bob Chapek. Well that didn’t last long, I hope Iger enjoyed his short hiatus because he’s back as Disney CEO and Chapek is out, effective immediately.
This was a huge surprise announcement that no one saw coming and Iger signed on to be CEO for the next two years with “a mandate from the Board to set the strategic direction for renewed growth and to work closely with the Board in development of a successor to lead the Company at the end of his term”.
The chairman of the board of the Walt Disney Company Susan Arnold issued the following statement:
“We thank Bob Chapek for his service to Disney throughout his long career, including guiding the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. The Board concluded that as Disney embarks on an increasingly complex period of industry transformation, Bob Iger is in a unique position to lead the Company through this pivotal period.
“Mr. Iger has the deep respect of Disney’s senior leadership team, most of whom he worked closely with until his departure as executive chairman 11 months ago, and is greatly admired by Disney employees around the world, the which will allow for a seamless transition of leadership.
Iger said in a statement:
“I am extremely optimistic about the future of this great company and thrilled to be invited by the Board to return as CEO. Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the world, especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is inspiring. I am deeply honored to be called upon to once again lead this extraordinary team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through bold and unparalleled storytelling.”
Iger did some pretty amazing things at Disney during his previous 15 years as CEO. “He expanded Disney’s legacy of unprecedented storytelling with acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox and increased the company’s market capitalization fivefold during his tenure as CEO.”
The news came as a surprise as Iger previously spoke about how much he’s enjoying his retirement saying, “I don’t miss my job. Retirement is great, I have a very different life than before. Much more air in my time.
Just when he thinks he’s out, they bring him back in! The board obviously wasn’t happy with Chapek and how he was handling things. Since he’s taken over, he’s never seemed to win over Disney fans. He also hasn’t handled controversies very well, including Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation and Disney’s tussle with Scarlett Johansson over the release of Black Widow.
He recently said that he doesn’t believe that adults like watching animated films. It’s good to see that Iger is back, but this only seems like a temporary fix to put things back in order before Disney figures out who they want to bring in to replace him again.
Source: Deadline
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
