Disney has named James Gorman as the company’s next chairman, replacing Mark Parker effective in January, as part of the succession planning process to find a successor for CEO Bob Iger in early 2026. Gorman joined Disney’s board less than a year ago and was named head of the succession planning committee in August. He will continue to lead the committee after taking over as chairman. Parker will step down after nine years on the board to focus on other areas of his work at Nike. Disney had initially targeted 2025 to announce a successor, but has pushed the date back to early 2026 to conduct due diligence on internal and external candidates. The company has had challenges with succession planning in the past, including firing Bob Chapek, Iger’s handpicked successor, in 2022. Iger, who has extended his retirement multiple times, is currently set to remain CEO until 2026. The board and Iger have not yet decided if he will extend his tenure past that date. Disney’s four direct reports have all interviewed with the succession committee in recent weeks under Gorman’s leadership. While a timeline for naming a successor adds clarity to the search, the question of who will succeed Iger will continue to be a focus for the company.
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In early 2026, Disney will announce the successor to Bob Iger.
