The Walt Disney Company has updated its corporate leadership page, announcing that Josh D'Amaro has officially become CEO, succeeding Bob Iger. D'Amaro's background in parks marks a significant shift from the traditional film or corporate strategy paths of previous CEOs, sparking excitement among fans for potential theme park investments and expansions. His updated biography outlines priorities focused on merging human creativity with technology to enhance storytelling and strengthen Disney's connection with fans. Under his leadership, Disney aims to leverage its creative resources and global presence to drive innovation and growth.
The Disney Experiences Background Is Huge
D'Amaro comes to the CEO role after serving as Chairman of Disney Experiences, the company's largest and fastest-growing business segment, with $36 billion in annual revenue in fiscal year 2025, which honestly shows just how important the parks have become to Disney's overall business. During his time leading Disney Experiences, D'Amaro spearheaded the largest expansion in the segment's history, including new cruise ships, resorts, themed lands, attractions, and technologies that will redefine the Disney guest experience for future generations.
Over his nearly three-decade career at Disney, D'Amaro has played a central role in shaping the modern Disney brand across theme parks, cruise ships, retail, games, immersive experiences, and real-world and digital storytelling, with his work having contributed to some of Disney's most celebrated recent achievements, including the launch of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Avengers Campus.
The Technology and Innovation Focus
D'Amaro has championed the integration of cutting-edge technology across Disney's businesses, from Walt Disney Imagineering's breakthroughs in advanced robotics and next-generation animatronics to a landmark platform partnership with Epic Games that will redefine how fans play, create, and connect with Disney stories. His vision places technology in the service of creativity, using it to expand the Disney universe for new audiences and position the company at the forefront of a rapidly evolving global media landscape.
The Epic Games partnership is particularly interesting because it signals Disney's willingness to meet fans where they are, rather than expecting them to come to theme parks or watch movies in theaters, by creating new ways to experience Disney stories through gaming and virtual worlds.
What This Means for the Parks
The transition is significant because D'Amaro brings a deep connection to the parks themselves, having served in several leadership roles across Disney's theme park division, including overseeing Walt Disney World operations and later running Disney Parks globally. Many fans believe D'Amaro understands the parks in a way few Disney CEOs ever have, which could lead to more investments in park experiences rather than just focusing on streaming and film production.
For Disney fans, leadership changes often signal changes inside the parks themselves, with at least 11 classic Walt Disney World attractions seeming especially likely to land on D'Amaro's radar given their age and history. These include Spaceship Earth at EPCOT, Mission: SPACE at EPCOT, Journey Into Imagination With Figment at EPCOT, Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios, Gran Fiesta Tour at EPCOT, Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom, “it's a small world” at Magic Kingdom, Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom, Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom, and Star Tours at Hollywood Studios.
Bob Iger's Legacy
For years, Bob Iger guided Disney through enormous changes, including major acquisitions such as Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, the expansion of streaming with Disney+, and large-scale investments in theme parks that transformed Disney into the entertainment giant it is today. Now that Iger is stepping aside, D'Amaro is expected to carry the company forward while bringing his own priorities focused on creative courage, disciplined investment, global expansion, and relentless innovation.
D'Amaro holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University and brings nearly three decades of Disney experience to the CEO role, positioning him to guide the company through the intersection of creativity and technology that defines modern entertainment. His nearly 30-year career, global perspective, and commitment to quality position him differently from previous CEOs who came from film or corporate backgrounds rather than park operations.
