In 15 years, it has transformed Disney into the most powerful entertainment brand in the world. Bob Iger passed on as general manager of the group on Tuesday, to everyone's surprise. However, he will remain executive chairman until the end of 2021. His successor is Bob Chapek, who until now has headed the amusement park division.
“Robert A. Iger assumes the role of executive chairman. He will direct the artistic initiatives of the company, chair the board of directors and use all his experience (…) to ensure a smooth and successful transition ”, specifies Disney.
Acquisition of Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm
Iger, who succeeded Michael Eisner in 2005, oversaw the takeovers of Pixar (2006), Marvel (2009) and Lucasfilm. These acquisitions allowed Disney to have eight films in the top 10 at the world box office last year, which reported generated more than $ 11 billion in revenue. In 2019, Bob Iger also finalized the acquisition of Fox and launched the Disney + streaming service (28.6 million subscribers in less than 3 months).
“Our group has become more complex in recent months. But all the elements are in place, the strategy is deployed and I would like to spend as much time as possible on the creative part of the work, which becomes the highest priority, "said Bob Iger on a conference call on Tuesday.
He assured analysts that this change of direction had not been hasty, and that handing over the baton to Bob Chapek allowed him "to free up the time necessary to concentrate on creation".
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