Disney CEO Bob Iger Accused Of Systematically Eliminating Any Chance Of Having A Successful Successor

Bob Iger wants the playing field to belong to him as long as he wants, and no Bob Chapek or other can replace him in his role as Disney’s CEO.

The executive has delayed leaving his position as Disney’s CEO twice, but even his 2026 extension seems to be just what it is: an extension. This has led a former Disney CFO and board member to suggest that he’s meaningfully eliminated any chance of being replaced any time soon.

Ex-Disney CFO Points Out Bob Iger’s “Black Mark” As CEO Steers Company To Future

For years, Iger has been the beating heart of Disney, driving the company through its many rounds of restructuring and acquisitions. His original tenure ran from 2005 and came to an end in 2020 when he was replaced with Bob Chapek at his recommendation.

However, board members ousted Chapek two years later, and Iger returned to his corner office, with the vision to bring Disney to the forefront of the entertainment’s industry’s future.

Anybody looking forward to filling his post might have to wait for a long time because the Chief is not ready to step down.

When he returned in 2022, it was with a promise that he would be putting somethings in place and stepping down within two years. However, when the two years was nearing its end, Iger and Disney announced that they have extended his contract to 2026.

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Even at 72, finding a replacement for Iger is proving hard, leading Gary Wilson, Disney’s former CFO, who spent 21 years on the board and oversaw Iger’s initial promotion, to believe that he has either intentionally or unintentionally blocked other talents aspiring for his role.

“Iger has systematically eliminated any executive who could become a successor,” Wilson told Wall Street Journal in an interview published Wednesday, Jan. 24.

The Disney boss, however, had already pushed back on this idea of eliminating successors at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, which took place in November.

“The succession process at Disney is robust right now,” the man being paid $27 million a year said. “We’re aggressively pursuing succession; there’s no more detail that I want to give.”

When asked whether he would be stepping down for good come 2026, he joked: “Given the list of things that I have to do? Yeah, I’m definitely going to step down.”

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