Bob Iger Returns/Disney CEO Thread (2022)

[Nick]

Why Iger ever let them leave is beyond me

Staggs decided to step down as COO because it was becoming apparent he was not going to get approval from the board to become CEO as he had been COO for about a year and a half still with no future promotion promised.

 

[tielo]

But who is going to run Candle Media if they are going to run Disney?

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[Nick]

But who is going to run Candle Media if they are going to run Disney?

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You joke, but Candle Media owns the juggernaut known as Cocomelon.

 

[Grabnar]

Mentioned it in another thread, but I'm really wondering how much longer Iger has before they (they being The Board) decide to bring in new blood. Through a series of acquisitions he has created a media behemoth, certainly, but it's unwieldy and poorly integrated. The parks have continued to slide with expansions being slow or non-existent. I'll concede that park revenue/person is up, but I think that's temporary. I think the year EU opens is going to be an extremely telling period for Disney.

 

[Nico]

Mentioned it in another thread, but I'm really wondering how much longer Iger has before they (they being The Board) decide to bring in new blood. Through a series of acquisitions he has created a media behemoth, certainly, but it's unwieldy and poorly integrated. The parks have continued to slide with expansions being slow or non-existent. I'll concede that park revenue/person is up, but I think that's temporary. I think the year EU opens is going to be an extremely telling period for Disney.

How long did he get in the contract extension? 2 years?

 

[GAcoaster]

I believe it's through 2026, but that could always change.

 

[Michael S]

I believe it's through 2026, but that could always change.

Are they any viable replacements in the company at the moment?

 

[Viator]

Are they any viable replacements in the company at the moment?

The only real notion could either come from someone internal the company, like a Josh D'Amarro (which I don't think they'd want to do same verse as the first); or go external.

It's why I wonder about Iger's interest in Kevin Meyer and Tom Staggs. Feels like if the opportunity is there, getting one of them might be a potential situation that he'd be comfortable with

 

[Grabnar]

The only real notion could either come from someone internal the company, like a Josh D'Amarro (which I don't think they'd want to do same verse as the first); or go external.

It's why I wonder about Iger's interest in Kevin Meyer and Tom Staggs. Feels like if the opportunity is there, getting one of them might be a potential situation that he'd be comfortable with

I’d prefer D’Amaro just because he’s a bit younger. If you’re lookin for a replacement CEO you shouldn’t be hiring someone at retirement age.

 

[Viator]

I’d prefer D’Amaro just because he’s a bit younger. If you’re lookin for a replacement CEO you shouldn’t be hiring someone at retirement age.

I just get the odd feeling, that they wouldn't wanna repeat another Chapek situation of someone who doesn't have a grasp in what it takes to be a CEO of TWDC, and to not have someone reckless.

Playing it safe, I know; but I have to think the safe card is better than repetition.

 

[tielo]

Probably someone at Apple could step into Igers shoes...

 

[Nick]

Probably someone at Apple could step into Igers shoes...

I think that’s what Iger is thinking, too…

 

[belloq87]

Who at Apple wants to deal with cruise ships and dozens upon dozens of hotels and restaurants?

 

[Nick]

Who at Apple wants to deal with cruise ships and dozens upon dozens of hotels and restaurants?

I’m sure they’d find someone to deal with all the profit the parks bring in.

The better question is who at Apple wants to deal with ESPN and ABC? No one. This is why Iger is going to sell off ESPN & ABC and probably shut down or sell other cable channels.

Iger is intentionally planning to slim the company so they are attractive towards what Apple wants.

 

[Nico]

Would/could they spin off Parks and Resorts as its own business? I’ve seen it wish casted by fans, but I don’t know the legal and financial regulations.

 

[Michael S]

Would/could they spin off Parks and Resorts as its own business? I’ve seen it wish casted by fans, but I don’t know the legal and financial regulations.

Hmmmm, I imagine they could. Isn’t that technically what Johnson & Johnson did when they split? Very different industries haha but I don’t see why it would be impossible

 

[Nick]

Would/could they spin off Parks and Resorts as its own business? I’ve seen it wish casted by fans, but I don’t know the legal and financial regulations.

Theoretically yes, you could spin it off, make Josh D’amaro the CEO of the new company, and there you go. New company, sort of like how Six flags, Cedar Fair, or Sea World are listed on the NYSE.

However, it’d be a completely new, very profitable business sector for Apple and I can see them being interested.

 

[belloq87]

Again, I cannot fathom that Bob Iger -- whatever else I might think of him at my darkest moments -- wants his legacy to be the end of the Walt Disney Company.

And to be clear, that's effectively what we're talking about here.

 

[Nick]

Again, I cannot fathom that Bob Iger -- whatever else I might think of him at my darkest moments -- wants his legacy to be the end of the Walt Disney Company.

And to be clear, that's effectively what we're talking about here.

Bob Iger’s legacy has been that he’s the ultimate deal maker. This would be his biggest deal.

Let’s not forget that in Iger’s book, he wrote that if Steve Jobs was still alive, Disney would’ve merged with Apple by now. That means that Iger would’ve sold Disney down the river a long time ago and he’s certainly not afraid to do it.

 

[GAcoaster]

Would/could they spin off Parks and Resorts as its own business? I’ve seen it wish casted by fans, but I don’t know the legal and financial regulations.

That was the plan floated by the stockholders a few years ago, wanting to spin off several business units (Studio/Broadcast/DPEP)

Back in the late 80's/early 90's when Disney was in really bad shape financially (before Eisner), Wesray Capital tried to buy the parks division away from the rest of the company, then things turned around. Wesray instead bought Six Flags from Bally's.