Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro and creative chief Dana Walden are helping lead the company into the AI age.
Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Disney; Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation
Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro has assembled a team working to win over Wall Street and brand enthusiasts.The Mouse House's leader, who took over in March, has highlighted the importance of creating new franchises, unifying teams, and investing in video games while leaning into AI.D'Amaro has already made his mark by unveiling a new structure that puts its gaming arm within Disney Entertainment, which contains its streaming, film, and TV businesses. This revamped division is run by Dana Walden, the company's first-ever chief creative officer, a respected content exec who previously oversaw Disney's TV unit.D'Amaro, who'd been the Disney Experiences chairman, was chosen for the CEO seat over Walden and took over for longtime top executive Bob Iger.Under Iger, Disney transformed into a Hollywood powerhouse by acquiring Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. Disney shares quadrupled in the 2010s as Wall Street cheered the company's rising profits and its emerging streaming business. Iger retired in early 2020 as a hero, only to return less than three years later after his chosen successor flopped.D'Amaro has big shoes to fill and a daunting path ahead, as Disney's stock is down 42% in the last five years. The company has frustrated some fans with steady price hikes at its parks, a sequel-heavy movie slate, and a series of political controversies. And less than a month after D'Amaro took over, Disney announced layoffs.To better understand D'Amaro's strategy, it helps to know who's implementing it. Business Insider has viewed Disney's internal organizational chart, based on screenshots sent by an employee.
