Iger’s Layoffs Start With a Bang

Last week, it was announced by Disney CEO Bob Iger (the Disney leader who had somewhat retired, but returned after the fall from grace involving now-former CEO Bob Chapel) that the Walt Disney Company would be laying off 7,000 of its employees.

Disney employees’ dissatisfaction was already well-known, but since many Disney employees (i.e. Cast Members) are reportedly struggling with poverty and many Disney employees also still harbor a strong love for Disney despite disliking their day-to-day work environment, this will still be a significant financial and emotional hit for the 7,000 Disney employees who are presumably about to lose their jobs.

Disney’s stock saw a rise after Disney CEO Bob Iger announced the new plans for Disney (and the layoffs) in February 2023.

One Disney employee actually left the company surprisingly quickly after the layoffs were announced — and the Disney employee who exited Disney so promptly was actually a higher-up!

Jeremy Doig, the chief technology officer of Walt Disney Company’s streaming services, was laid off (or quit) after less than one year of employment in the position.

Jeremy Doig Credit: Google/Weinberg-Clark Photography

Doig had said back in March of last year that he was “thrilled to be joining The Walt Disney Company at this crucial moment in the entertainment industry” and excited by the “many opportunities for technology to push boundaries and create stunning new viewer experiences for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+ subscribers”.

Unfortunately, the former Google employee’s “incredible adventure” with Disney has been cut disturbingly short. This layoff was discovered initially by Bloomberg via an internal memo from Mike Hanley (the senior vice president for engineering in Disney’s streaming department), which suggested only that “Doig is no longer with the company.”

Bob Iger Credit: CNBC

Whether this Disney higher-up left Disney by quitting or being laid off is unclear, but one thing is clear: the announcement about Disney and Disney CEO Bob Iger’s decision to lay off as many as 7,000 employees certainly has gotten Disney fans’ attention.

Some fans are worried about the state of the Cast Members who work so hard in the Disney Parks; others are hoping that Disney’s C-suite executives are going to take pay cuts and forgo their bonuses as well, instead of just expecting the lower-level employees to take all of the financial hits.

Disney’s CEO Bob Iger is on a big mission to change the Walt Disney Company,  but time will tell when it comes to just how many Disney employees leave (and whether or not they leave voluntarily)!

What do you think about the state of Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, and the Walt Disney Company overall?