Disney CEO to be named in 2026; Gorman to become board chair next year

Disney has chosen James Gorman to replace Mark Parker as the company’s next chairman, effective in January, as part of the succession planning process for CEO Bob Iger’s successor in early 2026. Gorman, who joined Disney’s board less than a year ago, will continue to lead the succession planning committee. The decision to delay the announcement of a successor until early 2026 allows the board more time to evaluate both internal and external candidates. Gorman’s experience with succession planning at Morgan Stanley is seen as valuable for this process. Despite the clarity in the timeline, the question of who will take over for Iger will continue to linger over the company for another year.