Disney leader Bob Iger delivered his final historic announcement as head of the esteemed entertainment corporation with the promotion of Josh D’Amaro to CEO and Dana Walden to President and Chief Creative Officer. They are part of a media leadership succession dream team, groomed from within in a classic succession process of trial assignments, leading to proven competence and credibility.
Disney’s Iger era has been marked by numerous monumental achievements, namely transforming the company from a traditional media and entertainment institution into a dynamic and formidable force across entertainment, experiences, and sports, capable of contending with the most advanced digitally native competitors. He parachuted in with a messianic mission akin to those of Michael Dell of Dell Technologies; Steve Jobs of Apple, or Howard Schultz of Starbucks, each of whom returned to active duty service at the request of their boards.
We have termed these heroic figures “generals” in a book entitled The Hero’s Farewell (Oxford University Press). In fact, the Second World War was a triumph of such mothballed leaders returning to active duty, lions such as Charles de Gaulle, Winston Churchill, George Patton, Douglas MacArthur and Bernard Montgomery being pressed into service.
