Since Bob Iger Hand Picked Bob Chapek, Will His Next Pick Be Any Better?

[BK2014]

In all the excitement and discussion about Bob Iger's return, people seem to overlook the fact that Chapek was hand picked by Iger in the first place. My understanding is that Iger is back for two year, with one of his directives being to pick his next replacement. Why does anyone think he will do a better job picking a replacement the second time around? And should he really be the person doing the picking given how miserably people seem to think he did in picking Chapek?

 

[CinderEmma94]

If I remember correctly Chapek wasn’t his first choice. By a long shot. However it’s who the board wanted/approved. I’m more concerned about the board and their decision making than I am about Iger.

 

[Bovril82]

Iger ran a lot of people out that would have been potential successors. Chapek did the same thing. This seems to be a real problem at Disney.

I'm guessing the board already have a short list. They can't mess this up again. It's reflecting awfuly on the board as well.

 

[wabbott]

If I remember correctly Chapek wasn’t his first choice. By a long shot. However it’s who the board wanted/approved. I’m more concerned about the board and their decision making than I am about Iger.

This. The board of directors desperately needs new blood. People that actually have experience successfully running companies, rather than picking them because of their ESG scores.

 

[AvidDisReader]

I can not even image who the next CEO will be. First and foremost they must be a leader who can communicate their vision. This was just not Chapek's forte. The person must have a clear understanding on how important the creative side is for Disney to be successful, and be mindful of budgets but do not strangle the creativeness. Being political in the aspect of finding that happy medium in between keeping up with new social advances but still not alienating old social norms--and staying away from politicians who have their own agendas.

 

[Bovril82]

CNN published this today.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/media/bob-iger-disney-successor/index.html

Can we all just agree. Not Christine McCarthy..

 

[reddog21]

CNN published this today.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/media/bob-iger-disney-successor/index.html

Can we all just agree. Not Christine McCarthy..

Why not Christine?

 

[Bovril82]

Why not Christine?

Many reasons.

If she was CEO material, as the CFO she would have been in the running for the job in 2020. I've never heard her name mentioned as a potential candidate from back then.

She doesn't appear to have a creative bone in her body. We've just been there with Chapek.

She doesn't exactly have a way with words when it comes to the fans. The earnings call comment on waistlines being the most famous example. I don't think a CEO needs to pander to the fans. But, it helps if they don't insult them. We've just been there with Chapek.

She must have signed off on pretty much everything Chapek did in the last couple of years. Including the restructuring of DMED under Kareem Daniel. She could have sounded the alarm a lot sooner. She chose not to. It sounds like she did so now in order to cover her own back. We will probably never know. But, as CFO the fact that Disney is in this situation, and that the stock price is where it is, falls on her almost as much as Chapek and Iger.

Are you a McCarthy fan? Happy to be convinced otherwise!

 

[Bovril82]

Why not Christine?

First attempt didn't post. Try again..

Many reasons.

If she was CEO material, as the CFO she would have been in the running for the job in 2020. I've never heard her name mentioned as a potential candidate from back then.

She doesn't appear to have a creative bone in her body. We've just been there with Chapek.

She doesn't exactly have a way with words when it comes to the fans. The waistline comment in the earnings call being the best example. I don't think a CEO should pander to the fans, but it's probably best not to insult them. We've just been there with Chapek.

As CFO she must have signed off on pretty much everything Chapek has done over the last couple of years. Including the restructuring of DMED under Kareem Daniel. She could have sounded the alarm a lot sooner (at the point Chapek's contract was renewed for a start). She chose not to. It seems she did so at this point to cover her own back. I don't suppose we will ever know. But as CFO the fact Disney is currently in this situation, and the share price is where it is will be almost as much down to her as Chapek (and Iger).

Are you a Christine fan? I would be happy to be persuaded otherwise if you think she would be a good CEO!

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

In all the excitement and discussion about Bob Iger's return, people seem to overlook the fact that Chapek was hand picked by Iger in the first place. My understanding is that Iger is back for two year, with one of his directives being to pick his next replacement. Why does anyone think he will do a better job picking a replacement the second time around? And should he really be the person doing the picking given how miserably people seem to think he did in picking Chapek?

My answer: law of averages and broken clocks are correct twice a day.

I would be shocked if the next CEO isn't Dana Walden.

 

[gharter]

Iger ran a lot of people out that would have been potential successors. Chapek did the same thing. This seems to be a real problem at Disney.

That's what I had read as well. Both had several people in place that could have been good replacements, but they drove them out rather than groom them. Hopefully he does better this time knowing he only has 2 years.

 

[HopperFan]

I'll just say that there is no convincing me that Chapek was hand picked by Iger. They are too different on every level. The issue here is the Board refused to acknowledge that Iger wanted to retire. They kept leaving things in a situation where he had to stay on. When he finally had enough there was no one left sitting there so Chapek defaulted. Iger had issues with him from the beginning and I don't believe ever fully supported him - but he wanted to retire.

It is important to keep in the conversation that THE BOARD of Directors are ultimately responsible for all of this. It was always in their power to drive the company in a different direction. They have failed the stockholders and the customers, and ultimately the employees of the company. The Board needs a full replacement starting with the Chair. My next vote will reflect a no vote for all of them.

CNN published this today.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/media/bob-iger-disney-successor/index.html

Can we all just agree. Not Christine McCarthy..

Very short sighted article that obviously used little research.

Josh ~ Someday if mentored but he has the same problem as Chapek, a narrow resume. He is a parks guy through and through but Disney is heavy in film, studios, Disney+, television ... he has none of that.

Bergman ~ Since he is a Studios guy ... and the movie, film and studios is the area that is hurting and facing an uncertain future. Has he anything other than same old same old which won't cut it for future.

Christine ~ Hello, where have they been? She is a PR nightmare, unlikeable and honestly failed as CFO and should have been walked out with Chapek.

Pitaro (who?) ~ Another where his division is doing poorly. Why should he be rewarded?

Walden ~ Been around a couple years, success in television, not particularly Disney educated.


Very short, inadequate list. Perhaps they should widen the scope and look at other possibilities, maybe not currently at Disney. How about doing what it takes to get the right person in the job not just look at underlings which is how Chapek lucked in to the job. What does it take to get Staggs or Rice back?

Why not Christine?

1) She is a bigger PR nightmare now than Chapek was. She has no filter, she says inappropriate and cruel things, she is not likeable and the last thing Disney needs is more PR disasters, which she embodies. She carries and presents herself as one of the Disney villains ~ not a good look for Disney.

2) She is the Chief FINANCIAL Officer and is as much to blame for Disney's stock market, devaluation issues as Chapek. Her job was to never let that happen to the company. She should have been walked out the door with him. She failed at her job, time to go.

 

[AvidDisReader]

There is a name that keeps popping up from the outside: Sheryl Sandberg. Experienced, well respected. My only thought is if she is the one, should she not be brought in as say President right now so she can be fully educated in the Disney culture. I guess we shall see.

 

[wabbott]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Sandberg

Sheryl Kara Sandberg (born August 28, 1969)[2] is an American business executive, billionaire, and philanthropist. Sandberg served as chief operating officer (COO) of Meta Platforms, a position from which she stepped down in August 2022.[3] She is also the founder of LeanIn.Org.[4] In 2008, she was made COO at Facebook, becoming the company's second-highest ranking official.[5] In June 2012, she was elected to Facebook's board of directors,[6] becoming the first woman to serve on its board. As head of the company's advertising business, Sandberg was credited for making the company profitable.[5] Prior to joining Facebook as its COO, Sandberg was vice president of global online sales and operations at Google and was involved in its philanthropic arm Google.org. Before that, Sandberg served as chief of staff for United States Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers.

 

[HokieRaven5]

What does it take to get Staggs or Rice back?

To get Staggs back would likely require about a $4B acquisition of Candle Media. It’s not entirely a terrible idea to bring IP like Blippi and CoComelon into the fold of Disney IP…

 

[TsWade2]

I wish it was Staggs, but I'm afraid Bob Iger will choose the wrong person again. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[NightGuardianAngel]

Disney should be a place where everyone can just have fun and be happy as well as get along regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, nationality, disability, etc. Disney used to be a very happy place for everyone where everyone felt like they belong and was accepted as they are. Unfortunately, I feel like I cannot honestly say the same thing today. Disney should have never got involved in political matters. If Bob Chepek would have kept his mouth shut, then Disney would have not been in the mess it is now.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

To get Staggs back would likely require about a $4B acquisition of Candle Media. It’s not entirely a terrible idea to bring IP like Blippi and CoComelon into the fold of Disney IP…

At that point you bring Kevin Mayer back into the fold as well and I believe he was a frontrunner for the CEO position and felt he was snubbed...and probably was.

 

[HokieRaven5]

At that point you bring Kevin Mayer back into the fold as well and I believe he was a frontrunner for the CEO position and felt he was snubbed...and probably was.

Staggs was first in line back when Iger first mulled retirement before Isaac Perlmutter at Marvel had issues with him. But more recently, yeah Mayer was probably in line for it.

Either way buying Candle Media makes both candidates for the job.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Staggs was first in line back when Iger first mulled retirement before Isaac Perlmutter at Marvel had issues with him. But more recently, yeah Mayer was probably in line for it.

Either way buying Candle Media makes both candidates for the job.

Yes I believe momentum was gaining for Mayer hot off the success of Dis+.

Q: So that was the answer you were given? Simply that you needed a little more seasoning?

Mayer: Yeah, look, I don’t feel like I should be in the place of explaining this. You really should ask Bob Iger or others who made the a decision, not me. Did I want to be CEO? Of course I did. Who wouldn’t want to be CEO of the Walt Disney Company? It’s a great job.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/17/kev...y-and-tiktok-joining-dazn-pay-tv-decline.html

Honestly though...if I were them, I'd be more than happy to keep pursuing my own endeavors and let Disney be especially considering they have a clean start with their own companies and let's be honest Disney is a huge mess that needs a lot of tender loving care and clean up. They're in many endeavors besides their media company so why give it up just to be put into the cross hairs. Also I would think it would be complicated trying to unwind all their other positions like the heads of Forest Road SPAC and what not just to again get a job that they were jilted from. I like both of them light years beyond anyone there INCLUDING Iger.