Embattled media giant Disney is expanding its search for Bob Iger's successor beyond the walls of the Magic Kingdom, according to a new report.
The Mouse House had considered a small number of candidates internally, but is now working with recruiters from search firm Heidrick & Struggles to consider external candidates for the top job. . The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
One possible outside successor is Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson, a name that has consistently surfaced in recent years.
The 50-year-old executive, who has been EA's chairman and CEO since 2013, has maintained contact with Mr. Iger over the years.
A source told the Post that Mr. Iger tried to get Mr. Wilson to run ESPN before Jimmy Pitaro took over in 2018.
“Iger is interested in him,” the source said. “He's young. He tried to get him to run ESPN.”
Prior to becoming CEO, Wilson served as executive vice president of EA Sports and Origin, where he led the global EA Sports business and EA's digital PC services.
He also served as Vice President and Executive Producer of all FIFA games at EA Sports, helping to grow the game into one of the most popular video game series of all time.
The search for Mr. Iger's successor is being led by outgoing Morgan Stanley executive James Gorman, who will become Disney's chairman on January 2.
He recently said that Mr. Iger's successor would be announced in early 2026.
Iger's contract is scheduled to expire at the end of 2026. He returns in 2022 after a disastrous tenure on a self-selected contract.
The newspaper reported that during Chapek's reign, Wilson held talks to sell EA to Disney, but the negotiations failed to reach an agreement.
The consideration for Wilson comes as The Mouse House expands into video games after acquiring a $1.5 billion stake in Fortnite creator Epic Games.
In addition to considering outsiders, Disney's board will consider four internal members: Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, ESPN Chairman Pitaro, and Parks and Experiences Director Josh D'Amaro. Candidates are also evaluated.
It's possible that Disney will find a way to bring in talent from outside the company and promote internal candidates.
The newspaper reported that Iger has been working hard to find a strong successor and called Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos earlier this year to inquire about the possibility of a dual CEO role at Disney. .
Sarandos said this at WSJ's Tech Live Conference in October. A co-CEO model is “hard to recommend” for a company like Disney.
“I understand their business pretty well, but I don't understand their business structure,” Sarandos added at the time.
Although it's still early days, sources say Mr. Walden and Mr. D'Amaro are television executives who work closely with Hollywood talent, and Mr. D'Amaro is a financial and operations guru, so Walden and Mr. D'Amaro are expected to continue working together. He told the Journal he has a free skill set to run a business.
It will be difficult to replace Mr. Iger, an executive whom Mr. Gorman recently said has “a rare combination of very good creative instincts and good business judgment.”
Gorman, speaking at an October event for the National Association of Corporate Directors, an industry group, added that he understands why Disney wants to keep Iger around for so long.
Mr. Iger has held the position since 2005 and returned to the position in 2022 after a two-year hiatus.
“But people don't last forever, so eventually you have to move on,” Gorman concluded.
