Susan Arnold Named Disney’s First Female Chairman As Bob Iger Exits
Susan Arnold will become Disney’s new chairman of the board on December 31, replacing the departing Bob Iger.
She will be the first woman to hold the position.
Here are the details:
- Arnold has been on Disney’s board for 14 years, and has served as its independent lead director since 2018.
- She was most recently an executive at global investment firm The Carlyle Group. Before that, she held roles at Procter & Gamble and McDonald’s.
- Iger has been Disney’s chairman of the board since 2012, and has served as executive chairman since stepping down as CEO last year. He is leaving the company on December 31.
- In a statement, Arnold said:
On behalf of the board, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Bob Iger for his extraordinary leadership over the past decade-and-a-half. Bob has led Disney to amazing heights both creatively and financially, with his clear strategic vision for delivering high-quality branded storytelling, embracing cutting-edge technology, and expanding internationally, and he’s left an indelible mark on The Walt Disney Company that will be felt for generations to come.
As I step into this new role as chairman of the board, I look forward to continuing to serve the long-term interests of Disney’s shareholders and working closely with CEO Bob Chapek as he builds upon the company’s century-long legacy of creative excellence and innovation.
- Disney is undergoing a changing of the guard. Alongside Iger, Disney Studios chief creative officer Alan Horn will leave at the end of this year, as will Disney Channels head Gary Marsh.
- Longtime PR chief Zenia Mucha and general counsel Alan Braverman are also due to leave in the coming months. Recent departures include Jayne Parker, head of human resources, and Searchlight Pictures bosses Steve Gilula and Nancy Utley.
