The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) announced that its board of directors unanimously elected Josh D'Amaro as the company's next chief executive officer, effective March 18, 2026, when he will succeed Robert A. Iger.

D'Amaro, 54, currently serves as chairman of Disney Experiences, the company's largest business segment with $36 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2025 and 185,000 employees worldwide. He has worked at Disney for 28 years, joining the company in 1998 at Disneyland Resort.

The board also appointed Dana Walden as president and chief creative officer of Disney, effective the same date. Walden currently serves as co-chairman of Disney Entertainment and will report directly to D'Amaro in her new role.

"Josh D'Amaro possesses that rare combination of inspiring leadership and innovation, a keen eye for strategic growth opportunities, and a deep passion for the Disney brand," said James Gorman, chairman of Disney's board of directors.

As chairman of Disney Experiences since 2020, D'Amaro oversees 12 theme parks and 57 resort hotels worldwide. His responsibilities include Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Walt Disney Imagineering, and Disney Consumer Products. He previously served as president of Walt Disney World Resort and president of Disneyland Resort.

Iger will continue as senior advisor and board member until his retirement from the company on December 31, 2026. He returned as CEO in 2022 and led Disney through what the company describes as a strategic transformation.

The succession follows a multi-year planning process that began in January 2023 when the board formed a special succession planning committee. The committee evaluated internal and external candidates and provided extensive mentorship to potential successors.

Disney reported annual revenue of $94.4 billion in fiscal year 2025 and operates three business segments: Entertainment, Sports, and Experiences.