THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY has consolidated its streaming, film, television, and games operations under incoming president and chief creative officer Dana Walden.
The restructuring centralizes creative and distribution functions to streamline decision-making and strengthen cross-platform storytelling. Walden’s leadership marks a historic first as Disney’s first female president, coinciding with Josh D’Amaro’s succession of Bob Iger as CEO.
Walden emphasized that the unified structure is designed to strengthen collaboration, empower creators, and extend Disney’s storytelling across every medium—from Disney+ and theatrical releases to games and immersive experiences. She called the emotional connection between Disney stories and fans the company’s core strength. The approach reflects a strategic pivot toward integrated content delivery in a fragmented media landscape.
Gaming takes centre stage
A notable aspect of the restructuring is the formal integration of Disney’s games and digital entertainment division into its core entertainment business. The move reflects the company’s recognition of gaming as a critical pillar of modern storytelling and audience engagement.
By aligning its gaming initiatives with film, television and streaming, Disney aims to create more immersive narrative experiences that extend beyond traditional formats and into interactive ecosystems.
One Disney, multiple touchpoints
The restructuring comes at a time when media companies are under pressure to maximise content value across platforms while driving profitability in streaming and digital ventures.
Disney’s new structure positions it to operate as a platform-agnostic storytelling powerhouse, where intellectual property can seamlessly travel across theatrical releases, streaming platforms and gaming environments.
For Walden, the mandate is clear: unify Disney’s creative engines to deliver consistent, high-impact storytelling experiences while adapting to how modern audiences consume content.
As she prepares to step into the role, the reorganisation marks the beginning of a new chapter — one that places integration, scale and cross-platform storytelling at the centre of Disney’s global strategy.
Key leadership appointments
As part of the new structure, several senior leaders will take on expanded or redefined roles:
Alan Bergman will continue as chairman of Disney Entertainment, Studios, overseeing film production, marketing and distribution, while also maintaining shared oversight of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business alongside Walden.
Joe Earley and Adam Smith have been named co-presidents of Direct-to-Consumer, jointly responsible for strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu. Earley will additionally lead content strategy, while Smith will continue as chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, reporting to ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
Sean Shoptaw, EVP of Games and Digital Entertainment, will now report to Walden, integrating Disney’s gaming ambitions more closely with its broader storytelling strategy. Shoptaw oversees partnerships including Disney’s collaboration with Epic Games, which is building a Disney-connected universe within Fortnite.
John Landgraf, chairman of FX, will continue to report directly to Walden.
Asad Ayaz, chief marketing and brand officer, will report jointly to CEO D’Amaro and Walden, reflecting the growing importance of integrated brand and content strategy.
Debra OConnell steps into the newly created role of chairman, Disney Entertainment Television, overseeing major television brands including ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic content, and creative operations for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. She will also continue to lead ABC News and the company’s owned television stations.
