Disney’s Dana Walden Sets Senior Leadership Team for Entertainment Division
Disney Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden has set the new senior leadership team for the company’s entertainment division.
Alan Bergman, who has most recently served as Disney Entertainment co-chair alongside Walden, will remain chairman of the company’s studio division, overseeing all aspects of its film studios, including production, marketing and distribution. He and Walden will also continue to have shared oversight of the direct-to-consumer division.
The DTC division will be run by co-presidents Joe Earley and Adam Smith, who will share responsibility for strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu and report to Walden and Bergman. Earley will also serve as head of content strategy, while Smith continues as chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN. On the sports side, Smith will continue to report to ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
Additionally, Debra OConnell has been promoted to the newly created role of Disney Entertainment Television chairman, where she will be responsible for overseeing ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and creative for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. She will also continue to oversee ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations.
FX chairman John Landgraf will continue to report directly to Walden and maintain oversight of Onyx Collective.
Meanwhile, Disney TV Studios chief Eric Schrier will report to Earley, which will give the DTC team oversight of the company’s international local originals exclusive to Disney+. Schrier will also oversee strategy for alternative forms of content and maintain oversight of television division’s business affairs, production, and labor relations teams.
The memo notably does not mention Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich, whose status has not been confirmed.
Additionally, Disney’s Games and Digital Entertainment division will be folded into Disney Entertainment.
The unit’s executive vice president Sean Shoptaw, who also oversees the collaboration with Epic Games to develop a Disney universe connected to Fortnite, will report directly to Walden.
Disney chief marketing and brand officer Asad Ayaz will report to both Walden and incoming CEO Josh D’Amaro.
In a memo to staff announcing the structure on Monday, Walden said the company is focused on “empowering great creators to tell the next generation of Disney stories and bringing our powerful IP to fans wherever they are.”
She said the new structure would “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.”
“With this unified approach, Disney can deliver the world’s most beloved entertainment to fans across the many ways they choose to enjoy it,” she added. “I’m extremely confident in this team and in the remarkable talent across this organization.”
Walden and D’Amaro will officially take over the reins from outgoing CEO Bob Iger on Wednesday. Iger will continue to serve as senior advisor and a member of the Disney Board until his retirement from the company on Dec. 31, 2026.
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