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Disney Clears the Deck for New CEO Era With Top Comms Exec Kristina Schake's Departure
Disney's top communications executive Kristina Schake is departing the company, solidifying a leadership reset as parks veteran Josh D’Amaro is named CEO.
Key Points
- Disney's top communications executive Kristina Schake is departing the company, solidifying a leadership reset as parks veteran Josh D’Amaro is named CEO.
- The new structure pairs D'Amaro with content executive Dana Walden as president, combining operational and creative leadership to navigate the streaming wars.
- Schake's exit comes just months after she signed a new long-term contract, signaling a clean break for the incoming executive team.
Disney’s top communications executive, Kristina Schake, is departing the company timed with Bob Iger’s own exit as CEO. The move solidifies a leadership reset that elevates parks veteran Josh D’Amaro to CEO and content exec Dana Walden to president.
Contract whiplash: The move is abrupt. Schake’s exit comes just months after she signed a new long-term contract in 2022, signaling a clean break for the incoming leadership. In an official company press release, Iger called her a "skilled strategist," while Schake expressed "great confidence" in the new team.
Parks meets content: The new power structure is a classic strategic play, pairing a seasoned operator with a creative powerhouse. D’Amaro is an ops leader known for running Disney's highly profitable parks division, while Walden is the content guru who joined via the 21st Century Fox acquisition.
The pairing creates a leadership team built to manage Disney's sprawling global machine while also fighting the brutal streaming wars.
