Disney has announced that James Gorman will be taking over as chairman of the board and will be appointing a new CEO in early 2026. Gorman, the former CEO of Morgan Stanley, was chosen to lead Disney’s succession planning efforts in August. He will be succeeding Mark Parker, who will be leaving the board in January after nine years of service.
The CEO succession at Disney has been turbulent, with Bob Iger returning to the top job in 2022 after the removal of his handpicked successor, Bob Chapek. Disney has extended Iger’s contract, but he has stated that he will be leaving for good when it expires in December 2026. Gorman, who is also stepping down as executive chairman of Morgan Stanley, has been leading a formal succession planning process for Disney.
The Disney board’s succession planning committee also includes Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, and Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon Athletica. The committee has met six times in fiscal 2024 as they consider both internal and external candidates to succeed Iger.
Multiple divisional heads at Disney, including Dana Walden, Jimmy Pitaro, Josh D’Amaro, and Alan Bergman, are all reportedly competing for the CEO role. Gorman’s appointment as chairman and the forthcoming CEO announcement in 2026 mark a new chapter in Disney’s executive leadership.
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