Disney CEO Bob Iger says he is ‘obsessed’ with finding his replacement

Disney CEO Bob Iger said he is laser-focused on finding his replacement by the time he steps down in 2026 — after his previous CEO pick blew up.

Iger told Kelly Ripa on her podcast earlier this month that the search has him “obsessed” with his return to the top job in 2022.

“I think it would be safe to assume that I am thinking [CEO succession] all the time,” he told Ripa. “I would say ‘obsessed with her’ would probably be an understatement, and in fact, the board and I decided when I came back that she was going to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest. [priorities].

In 2020, Iger tapped Bob Chapek to succeed him, but the former Disney theme parks boss made a series of missteps — including political battles, A-list talent explosions and controversial reorganizations — before being ousted two years later. late.

Iger returned to the House of Mouse, which had been decimated by the pandemic and accelerating cord-cutting, for an initial two-year run before being extended by Disney’s board through December 2026.

As Iger works to stabilize Disney, his top priority is finding a capable successor, after a bitter months-long battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz, who argued the company had failed in the broadcast television era and criticized the planning its continuity.

Last week, Disney revealed that board member and former Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman will chair the company’s succession planning committee.

Gorman joined as a Disney director this year and oversaw the recent succession process at Morgan Stanley. He was CEO of the Wall Street bank from 2010 to 2023 and will step down from his role as executive chairman in December.

For Iger, the search for his successor threatens to become a black spot in the legendary media mogul’s career if he once again abandons the search.

Chapek’s disastrous tenure was marked by a bitter battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, as well as his botching of Scarlett Johansson’s “Black Widow” contract, in which the A-list actress sued Disney for her compensation for starring in the superhero movie.

Iger, who was CEO from 2005 to 2020 before returning, told Ripa that he returned to Disney as CEO because he was in trouble.

“It was not my intention to retire,” Iger said. “I owed it to the company that meant so much to me and was so good to me that I answered the call.”

Disney now faces a number of challenges that include the shift away from linear television, creative issues at Marvel, major changes at ESPN and antitrust hurdles for upcoming sports venture Venu — not to mention a slowdown in its theme parks business. .

With the CEO search looming, Iger is struggling to find a successor who has touched all areas of Disney’s complicated business.

Internal candidates who have been lined up to fill Iger’s big shoes include Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment; Josh D’Amaro, head of Disney’s parks and experiences division; and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN.

But Hollywood insiders told The Post in April that it was unlikely any of the top contenders would be ready until 2026, with some questioning whether Iger would stay in the role a little longer.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he stayed,” a Disney source said of Iger at the time. “He’s ageless and he doesn’t have many internal successors who are ready.”

Other possibilities include former executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, who are serving as strategic advisors. But both men had been passed over for Iger’s job in the past, making it impossible, insiders said.