The leaders of The Walt Disney Co.’s television and movie business today began spelling out how the new organization created by CEO Bob Iger will work.
On Disney’s earnings call Wednesday, Iger created three core groups, one for Entertainment headed by Alan Bergman and Dana Walden; ESPN, headed by Jimmy Pitaro; and Parks, headed by Josh D’Amaro.
In a memo to staff from Bergman, Walden and Pitaro, Disney Entertainment will be responsible for the company’s full portfolio of entertainment media and content businesses globally, including streaming businesses Disney Plus and Hulu.
Walden will have primary oversight over ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and Onyx Collective.
As part of this reorganization, Debra OConnell will report to Walden as president, networks — excluding ESPN. Shannon Ryan will continue to oversee marketing for Walden’s creative groups in addition to Hulu, working closely with the Disney Plus marketing team, the memo said.
Bergman will also have primary oversight over Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures, as well as Disney Music Group and Disney Theatrical Group. Asad Ayaz will continue to oversee marketing for Bergman’s creative groups in addition to Disney Plus, working closely with the Hulu marketing team.
ESPN will include ESPN networks and ESPN Plus.
The leaders of each content group will have full operational control and financial responsibility for creative development, marketing, sales and distribution and will be accountable for driving business efficiencies, as Iger had announced.
“Several shared-service organizations across the company will support both Disney Entertainment and ESPN, facilitating company-wide efficiencies and creating a more cost-effective, coordinated and streamlined approach to operations,” the memo said. .
Those organizations include Product and Technology, led by Aaron LaBerge; Advertising Sales, led by Rita Ferro; and Platform Distribution, led by Justin Connolly, excluding Theatrical Distribution and Music, which will be overseen by Bergman.
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“This reorganization of our company will result in reductions to our overall workforce, which will affect every segment and function across the company, and we are very mindful of the personal impact of these changes,” the memo said. “More permanent decisions about individual positions and teams will be made in the coming weeks as we build out our operations in alignment with the company’s overall strategic priorities. Understandably, these changes will take a toll on colleagues who will be impacted, and we do not take that lightly. We will continue to be as transparent as possible throughout this process.
“In the meantime, we encourage everyone to speak with your individual leaders, who will soon have additional information about assignments, reporting structures, and more,” the memo said.
Outside of North America, the company’s media, entertainment and sports content and operations will continue to be managed regionally by Luke Kang, president, Asia-Pacific; Jan Koeppen, president, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia); Diego Lerner, president, LATAM (Latin America); and K Madhavan, president, India, the memo said. Those executives will report to each of us as part of their global responsibilities.
As a result of the changes, Rebecca Campbell, chairman, International Content and Operations, has decided to leave the company, the memo noted. ■
