The Walt Disney Company has been in somewhat of a crisis over the last year when it comes to its financial growth. There are many who place the blame on current CEO Bob Chapek, that reportedly includes former CEO Bob Iger, who supposedly criticizes his successor in private.
According to Puck, Iger has attempted to be diplomatic when discussing Disney’s current direction under Chapek and is cautious when it comes to criticism, as evidenced during a recent Q&A session. However, the report suggests Iger has expressed negative views of Chapek in private conversations. His exact comments have not been made available, but his feelings have reportedly only grown more negative owing to Disney’s current financial situation and Disney’s stock price plummeting.
This is not the first time Iger’s thoughts on Chapek have come to light. It was previously revealed that the former Disney head regretted the decision to name Chapek as his successor. Iger and Chapek reportedly could not agree on how best to move forward with the company. Iger called on the board to recognize his seniority and clashed with board members on the best way to transition. Iger wished to work alongside Chapek for a period of two years, during which time he would train the exec and prepare him for the CEO position.
Over the last year, other reports have emerged, suggesting other Disney executives share Iger’s view of Chapek, with some supposedly hoping for the current CEO to fail. The driving belief is that the sooner Chapek steps down as CEO, the sooner the company can recover from its major losses. It should be noted that the negative view of Chapek precedes the current financial situation.
As far back as 2021, a little over a year after Chapek stepped into the role of CEO, there were reports suggesting Disney’s creatives and talent were not happy with him, with one Disney executive stating, “Every creative person is leaving or losing power.” In fact, Chapek’s time as CEO has been marked by a number of conflicts that have not sat well with Disney’s employees.
First, there was the dispute between Marvel Cinematic Universe star Scarlett Johansson and Marvel Studios, which resulted in a lawsuit. This was followed sometime after with comments Chapek made about Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill and Disney’s position on the matter, which compelled employees to walk out from Disney headquarters in the hundreds.
Source: Puck
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