Dana Walden has set her leadership team.
The incoming president and chief creative officer at The Walt Disney Co. unveiled Disney Entertainment’s new management structure Monday. Walden will move into her new role Wednesday, in conjunction with Josh D’Amaro succeeding Bob Iger as CEO.
Two of the biggest changes under Walden’s new structure: Debra OConnell will become chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, a new role for the company; and Disney’s nascent gaming and interactive business will now become part of Disney Entertainment, with Sean Shoptaw, executive VP of games and digital entertainment now reporting to Walden.
“As I step into my new role, I’m pleased to share the new structure of Disney Entertainment, which integrates our games business together with our streaming, film, and television teams, aligning Disney’s world-class creative engines and platforms,” Walden wrote in a note to staff. “Fans today want to engage with Disney’s storytelling and characters in a multitude of ways — whether on Disney+, in theaters, or through the digital games they love to play. With this unified approach, Disney can deliver the world’s most beloved entertainment to fans across the many ways they choose to enjoy it.”
OConnell’s new purview will include ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and creative for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation, and she will continue to oversee ABC News and ABC’s local stations.
Shoptaw, meanwhile, manages the company’s gaming and interactive business, including partnerships with game developers, and the company’s relationship with Epic Games and Fortnite. Shoptaw had previously reported to D’Amaro as part of the Disney Experiences division.
“This is an important, strategic shift that aligns our games business more closely with Disney+ and Hulu, enabling us to expand the ways fans can engage with our stories, characters, and worlds,” Walden wrote. “I’ve been very impressed with Sean. He has strong command of the tremendous opportunities ahead, including our collaboration with Epic Games, developing a Disney universe connected to Fortnite — and I’m looking forward to this exciting new partnership.”
Alan Bergman will continue as chairman of Disney Entertainment, studios, overseeing Disney’s vast film studios and production, and continuing to oversee direct-to-consumer alongside Walden; Joe Earley and Adam Smith will become co-president of direct-to-consumer, reporting to Walden and Bergman, with Early putting a particular focus on content strategy (Disney TV Studios executive Eric Schrier will report to Earley) and Smith on product and technology (Smith will also report to ESPN Jimmy Pitaro for ESPN-related matters); John Landrgaf will remain chairman of FX, reporting to Walden; and Asad Ayaz, Disney’s chief marketing and brand officer, will report to both D’Amaro and Walden.
D’Amaro and Walden have been reorganizing the company’s leadership ahead of Wednesday’s transition, with D’Amaro setting Thomas Mazloum as his successor at Disney Experiences; and Paul Roeder as the company’s new chief communications officer.
You can read Walden’s note to staff, below.
Team,
This is a momentous week for the company, as Josh becomes our new CEO, and I want to thank Bob for his remarkable leadership and the strong foundation he leaves for all of us. I’m incredibly excited to work with Josh and an extraordinary group of leaders to build on all our recent success as we begin this new chapter together.
As I step into my new role, I’m pleased to share the new structure of Disney Entertainment, which integrates our games business together with our streaming, film, and television teams, aligning Disney’s world-class creative engines and platforms. Fans today want to engage with Disney’s storytelling and characters in a multitude of ways — whether on Disney+, in theaters, or through the digital games they love to play. With this unified approach, Disney can deliver the world’s most beloved entertainment to fans across the many ways they choose to enjoy it.
My leadership team for Disney Entertainment is as follows:
Alan Bergman, as Chairman of Disney Entertainment, Studios, will continue overseeing all aspects of our industry-leading film studios including production, marketing, and distribution. Together with Bob, Alan has played a central role in the success of our film business, which produced three billion-dollar films in the last year alone and has led the global box office for nine out of the past 10 years. Alan’s steady and visionary leadership will continue to guide these efforts going forward.
Alan and I will maintain oversight of Disney+ and Hulu, which will be led by Joe Earley and Adam Smith as Co-Presidents of Direct to Consumer. Joe and Adam will share responsibility for strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu, enabling a more unified approach to content and partnership strategy, product, and technology. Joe, who also will serve as Head of Content Strategy for DTC, and Adam, who continues as Chief Product and Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, have done an exceptional job helping to shape and grow our streaming business, and they bring a powerful combination of creative, strategic, and technological expertise to this next phase for Disney+ and Hulu. Eric Schrier, who has done terrific work building out our local originals slate, will now report to Joe. This puts our international local originals, which are exclusive to Disney+, inside our DTC organization, enabling a more effective international content strategy. Eric will also oversee the strategy for alternative forms of content and maintain oversight of television Business Affairs, Production, and Labor Relations.
Debra OConnell has been named Chairman of Disney Entertainment Television. I’m thrilled that Debra will be taking on this newly created role, overseeing our television brands, including ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content, and the creative strategy for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. She will also continue to oversee ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations.
John Landgraf, Chairman of FX, will continue reporting directly to me, and maintain oversight of Onyx Collective. Under John’s leadership, FX has become one of the industry’s most prestigious and critically acclaimed brands, delivering shows that consistently shape the cultural conversation — most recently with the breakout success of Love Story.
Sean Shoptaw, EVP, Games and Digital Entertainment, and his organization are moving from Disney Experiences to Disney Entertainment. This is an important, strategic shift that aligns our games business more closely with Disney+ and Hulu, enabling us to expand the ways fans can engage with our stories, characters, and worlds. I’ve been very impressed with Sean. He has strong command of the tremendous opportunities ahead, including our collaboration with Epic Games, developing a Disney universe connected to Fortnite — and I’m looking forward to this exciting new partnership.
Asad Ayaz, Disney’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, will be instrumental in all this work. Asad leads the unparalleled marketing teams across the company’s business segments. He and his teams have a stellar track record of creating bold, inventive campaigns — most recently with the launch of Hoppers and looking ahead to The Devil Wears Prada 2 — that continue to set the bar for marketing across the globe. Asad will report to Josh and me.
Through all of this, our focus is on empowering great creators to tell the next generation of Disney stories and bringing our powerful IP to fans wherever they are — whether through streaming, film, television, games, or immersive experiences. This new structure is designed to strengthen collaboration, foster an even more seamless environment for our creative partners, and build on our rich legacy as the best storytelling company in the world.
I’m extremely confident in this team and in the remarkable talent across this organization. As I’ve said before, this is truly a dream job for me and I’m grateful to be doing this work with all of you. Your creativity, commitment, and passion are what make this company so special. Thank you for all you do.
Dana
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