Disney names next chairman, new CEO to be announced in ‘early 2026’ [Video]

The Walt Disney Company named Morgan Stanley veteran James P. Gorman as chairman of the board, effective Jan. 2, 2025, and said he is already part of the team “working to identify and prepare the next chief executive officer,” with an announcement coming in “early 2026.”

Gorman will be stepping down from his role at Morgan Stanley on Dec. 31, 2024, according to a press release. He is currently chair of the Disney Board’s Succession Planning Committee.

“James Gorman is an esteemed leader who has become an invaluable voice on the Disney Board since joining earlier this year, and I am extremely pleased that he has agreed to assume the role of Chairman upon my departure,” Mark G. Parker, who served on Disney’s board for nine years, said in a statement. “Drawing on his vast experience, James is expertly guiding the extensive search process for a new CEO, which remains a top priority for the Board.”

Gorman had served as CEO of the …