Josh D'Amaro, next CEO of Disney, is Massachusetts native
A Massachusetts native will be the new head of the Walt Disney Company.
On Tuesday, Josh D'Amaro, who is a Medfield native, was named as the person to succeed current CEO Bob Iger at the company.
D'Amaro currently oversees Disney's theme parks, resort hotels and cruise ships. His title is parks chief, but starting March 18, 2026, the New Englander will step into the lead for a company with $36 billion in annual revenue and 185,000 employees around the globe.
D'Amaro attended Georgetown University, graduating from the school with a business administration degree in 1993.
Boston University business professor Gregory Stoller spoke to WBZ-TV about the challenges D'Amaro faces.
"There are a number of other headwinds that he's going to be facing, whether it be what to do with AI, whether it be softer tourism to the United States, media and streaming concerns, and of course, upcoming labor negotiations with the screenwriters in the Actors Guild about how AI might be taking away their intellectual property or profitability," Stoller said.
The 54-year-old D'Amaro has held multiple roles at Disney since he joined the company in 1998. D'Amaro has been involved in finance, business strategy, marketing, creative development and operations.
Iger said in a statement that D'Amaro has "an instinctive appreciation of the Disney brand, and a deep understanding of what resonates with our audiences."
Work to replace Iger began in 2023 when Disney formed a succession planning committee.