Who will succeed Bob Iger as Disney CEO? The 4 candidates tipped to take over
Iger, 74, will step down as Disney boss for the second time at the end of 2026. Four internal candidates have been vying for the job
The Walt Disney Company can ill afford another succession implosion.
The last time CEO Bob Iger handed over the reins, the plan backfired, executives revolted, his replacement got bounced, and Iger returned to lead the storied entertainment giant for another four years.
Iger will close out his two-decade tenure at Disney at the end of this year when his contract expires. The board is preparing to make a pivotal leadership move at a perilous time for the industry.
This time, Disney has entrusted a take-charge outsider to oversee its CEO transition, which is expected to unfold in the coming weeks.
“I don’t know that there’s anyone who could have navigated these kinds of leadership transitions better than James,” says Erika H. James, dean of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. “He’s not afraid to do the hard things.”