Iger Stepping Down, Chapek Replaces

[tielo]

I see what you’re saying Nick, but I think the pandemic and the quick success of Disney+ kicked these plans into high gear. Their projections for subscriber growth were much lower originally and with how content distribution was upended, they needed something different to meet the times. It’s also an indication of how critical they believe Disney+ is to their future.

In the latest quarter meeting Disney+ under preformed so growth is slowing down. Above that the thing has cost a huge investment and if Netflix is the model the investments will outweigh profit forever.

People at Disney actually liked Iger, in part because he came from Entertainment, where Chapek is strictly a business guy. And he's not that good at it tbh. He has torn down the culture of Iger's Disney, where creatives were allowed to do their thing as long as they continued to churn out a solid project. Under Chapek, the creatives do their thing and then now have absolutely no say in how or where it is released, which is pissing everyone off.

He has also put in place, as the head of Disney Digital Media Distribution one of his buddies from Consumer Products. That's right, a paper pusher is the overlord of every single creative at Disney. He's there ahead of the bosses of Pixar/WDAS, Kathleen Kennedy, Kevin Feige, Alan Horn, everyone on the Fox side, etc. Again, this guy is not qualified to fill this position in any way, he only has the job because he's buddies with new Bob. And everyone hates him for it. Again, say what you will about Iger, but he always put people actually in the entertainment industry in the leadership positions.

I don't get the love for Iger. He killed Disney animation, dumbed down Pixar and milked Marvel for what it's worth (I don't get it why people aren't burned out on anything marvel but I'm sure it will happen soon) and killed the Star Wars movie franchise (just look at shelf space at Wall Mart for proof).
Theme park wise the needle was dead on huge expansions like Avatar and Star Wars who never ever where the "Potter killer" they wanted. His "Magic band" actually killed the theme park experience for me.
I'm sure Bob will do things different but he is my favorite Minion so I'm sure he will crash the Disney company further down in his own uncharismatic fashion.
I hope some day there will be a creative person leading the company and is best friends with the financial person to keep things in check and bring back the balance.

 

[Nick]

In the latest quarter meeting Disney+ under preformed so growth is slowing down. Above that the thing has cost a huge investment and if Netflix is the model the investments will outweigh profit forever.


I don't get the love of Iger. He killed Disney animation, dumbed down Pixar and milked Marvel for what it's worth (I don't get it why people aren't burned out on anything marvel but I'm sure it will happen soon) and killed the Star Wars movie franchise (just look at shelf space at Wall Mart for proof).
Theme park wise the needle was dead on huge expansions like Avatar and Star Wars who never ever where the "Potter killer" they wanted.
I'm sure Bob will do things different but he is my favorite Minion so I'm sure he will crash the Disney company further down in his own uncharismatic fashion.
I hope some day there will be a creative person leading the company and is best friends with the financial person to keep things in check and bring back the balance.

I didn't say Disney fans liked Iger, I said the creatives had a good relationship working with him. He knew how to balance keeping the creatives AND Wall Street happy, which is something Chapek has yet to figure out how to do.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I know someone who has worked and met with both Iger and Chapek, and the basics of each were said to be this:

Iger: Seemed genuinely interested in projects, listened, smiled at everyone, seemed extremely polite.

Chapek: Not rude, but very much a “let’s get down to business” type guy. Some seem to actually appreciate that as expectations seems to be clearer and what he asks for/imputs on is very straight forward and less ambiguous. Where Iger, while kind, would maybe make you wonder if he actually likes what you’re working on or not, where Chapek will tell you.

Fans views are valid in terms of what Chapek has clearly done the park experience, and this is a small tidbit but there’s so much else to factor in if these people are good to work for or not.

 

[Skold]

Didn't Iger groom Chapek as his replacement though?

 

[Nick]

Didn't Iger groom Chapek as his replacement though?

Chapek didn't have much grooming as far as I remember. Iger may have been grooming him a bit by putting him as the head of Parks and Resorts, but I don't think the two ever worked side by side much ahead of the step down. It was very sudden. Tom Staggs was the one that was groomed and even named COO for over a year before he resigned.

 

[JawsVictim]

Didn't Iger groom Chapek as his replacement though?

No, Chapek’s bald. :rimshot:

 

[belloq87]

Chapek was groomed only in the sense that he was kind of the only person left to take the job after several other candidates left (or were kicked out of) the company over the last 8 - 9 years.

 

[Nick]

Chapek was groomed only in the sense that he was kind of the only person left to take the job after several other candidates left (or were kicked out of) the company over the last 8 - 9 years.

I would take Tom Staggs any day as CEO over Chapek. It's not like he was great, but I do feel like he was a bit more like a mini-Iger. Now is that great for us? No, but I feel like the company would be in better hands, for sure.

 

[Mad Dog]

Chapek was groomed only in the sense that he was kind of the only person left to take the job after several other candidates left (or were kicked out of) the company over the last 8 - 9 years.

Yes, and the only man left standing when Iger probably received some insider government info on the dire seriousness of covid, leading him to jump ship a bit earlier than he was planning to.

 

[Nick]

Yes, and the only man left standing when Iger probably received some insider government info on the dire seriousness of covid, leading him to jump ship a bit earlier than he was planning to.

A lot of people did think Kevin Meyer (the former Disney+ head) would take over, to be fair. Of course, Meyer went on to be the CEO of Tik-Tok and resigned/was forced out mere months later. He now is an executive at DAZN Sports.

 

[belloq87]

I would take Tom Staggs any day as CEO over Chapek. It's not like he was great, but I do feel like he was a bit more like a mini-Iger. Now is that great for us? No, but I feel like the company would be in better hands, for sure.

I agree.

In hindsight, I feel like Staggs was kind of unfairly left holding the bag for some questionable decisions and strategies that weren't entirely of his own making. And he always seemed genuinely, truly enthused about the theme parks whenever I heard him talk about them.

 

[ChristopherSE]

You could at least tell Iger cared about the product he was selling. I don't think that's something Chapek will ever do. I miss our creative/business leader duos. The Eisner era was.. chaotic, but the Eisner/Wells (which is to say: the Walt/Roy) dynamic has always seemed to work best for Disney.

 

[shiekra38]

I've worked with people like Iger, the ideas flow and there's a team mentality and more of a how can we do this creatively. Being wrong is simply part of the process

I've also worked with people like Chapek, ideas flow but there's a strained competitiveness to concepts in order to impress the lead personality. Being wrong is costly to your overall position so the mundane is kept and things are pitched that will be guaranteed winners...in other words the needle never moves.

Iger seems like a mover and a shaker in the best possible way and Chapek seems like the same but in a more toxic way

We'll see what happens. These are just vibes I get


Edit: I also want to add Chapek's obsession with Disney+ will backfire for them in the long term

 

[CountDracula9841]

Well how bad is Bob Chapek I have heard some really bad things about him mostly more bad than good. Why did Disney hire him as CEO if he is not very well liked? I have heard that he could ruin and damage the Disney parks I really hope it doesn’t come to that. Do you think his tenure will be short with Disney if he does do a bad job. I mean I already see he is skipping the D23 event that’s a pretty big event isn’t it? Not a good look for Chapek I see.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

--

 

[Nick]

Robert Kraft likes him. Not that that means much, j just find his statement laughable.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Robert Kraft likes him. Not that that means much, j just find his statement laughable.

Lol aka “we’re both cheap as hell, and I love him for that”

 

[CountDracula9841]

So why is Chapek coming in if people don’t like him in the first place I even see their is a petition out their to have him removed wow I didn’t know he was that unlikable hopefully before the decade ends possibly Chapek will be replaced.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

So why is Chapek coming in if people don’t like him in the first place I even see their is a petition out their to have him removed wow I didn’t know he was that unlikable hopefully before the decade ends their Chapek will be replaced.

From what I’ve understood not only on here, being at the parks, and some inside intel, he’s a fabulous numbers man, knows how and will cut costs to maximize profits at any given opportunity, and will worsen quality in order to maximize profits.

He was brought in to make $ since Iger spent a fair amount, once that stops he’s gone.

 

[CountDracula9841]

So the quality will be bad with Chapek in charge well thats not good because Disney has always had quality.