Bob Chapek nommé CEO de Disney, Bob Iger devient Executive Chairman

Une pétition pour virer Chapek, qui monte et fait le buzz sur les réseaux sociaux ces dernières heures:
https://chng.it/7WNr98CSHq

Jake Sully a écrit:

Chapek qui découvre que la majorité de sa clientèle n'a pas de gosses... c'est savoureux quand même. On comprend mieux certains choix de ces dernières années du groupe: ils ne connaissent même pas leurs consommateurs

C'est pourtant la base de toute stratégie marketing qui se respecte .

Avec du recul, je ne suis qu'à moitié étonné...

petit update de la pétition : 40 000 signatures

Les actionnaires de l'entreprise ne sont pas de cet avis et apportent leur soutien à Bob Chapek. Depuis qu'il a pris ses fonctions de PDG en février de l'année dernière, la valeur de l'action a encore gagné 38 %. Merci Bob !

Alors que des rumeurs ces derniers jours semblaient dire que Bob Iger pourrait reprendre les rennes de TWDC, dans une interview donnée hier par le principal intéressé, il semble confirmer qu'il quittera bien Disney à la fin de l'année :

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/21/disney-chairman-bob-iger-explains-why-hes-leaving-the-company.html

Bob Iger en couverture de Variety :

Variety a écrit:

Bob Iger Makes His Disney Exit as a Titan of Transformation

As we stroll on Disney’s historic Burbank lot toward the plaza where he is about to be photographed in front of a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse holding hands, I ask Iger if he is feeling melancholy about his decision to leave.

“I’m being resolute about it — this time around. I haven’t once second-guessed it or hesitated,” he tells me. “It’s bittersweet. I’m going to miss people, and I’m going to miss the creative process.” Iger, who turns 71 in February and who began his career at age 23 at ABC, is one of only six CEOs to lead Disney since its founding in 1923 until Bob Chapek assumed the role in February 2020.

Ten days from now, Iger can step away knowing that few, if any, media leaders can claim as impressive a track record at any one enterprise as he achieved over his time atop Disney with such pivotal creative and accretive transactions as the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox. As someone who always embraced rather than fought new technologies, Iger leaned into the future and made Disney’s content available across multiple platforms, launching ESPN Plus in 2018 and Disney Plus a year later. In doing so, he transformed a nearly century-old traditional studio into a modern-day digital juggernaut with direct access to consumers. Under his leadership, Disney was the first studio to have its TV content on iTunes, in 2005, and a year later was the first to stream ad-supported TV content for free.

Iger also spearheaded the company’s international expansion, opening the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort in 2005 and the Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016, marking his 40th trip to China in the past 18 years. He drove the reinvigoration of Disney’s failing Animation Studios by installing Pixar chiefs John Lasseter and Ed Catmull at the helm. Disney’s value has shot up nearly five times what it was when Iger took over: Its market cap increased from $48.5 billion to $240 billion — close to a 400% increase.

And to think how many people both inside Disney, including four board members, and outside the company totally underestimated Iger’s abilities as he fought to be considered as Michael Eisner’s successor in 2005. Former Disney Studios chief Jeffrey Katzenberg met Iger for breakfast back then, telling him, “You need to leave. You’re not going to get this job. Your reputation has been tarnished.” Iger tells me that Katzenberg urged him not only to leave Disney but to “leave the business.” In his book, “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of The Walt Disney Company,” Iger quotes Katzenberg as suggesting to him, “You should go do some pro bono work to rehabilitate your image.” Despite being tormented and crushed by the lack of support at the time, Iger was approved by the board, and clearly got the last laugh.

“I even surprised myself,” he quips during our expansive interview in his near-empty office suite in the legendary terra-cotta Seven Dwarfs building that has been largely packed up but for a few remaining artifacts and personal belongings — including a model of Walt Disney’s Grumman G-159 Gulfstream airplane on his desk; a framed vintage Autopia Disneyland poster; and a wooden chess table with carved “Star Wars” character pieces, which Kathleen Kennedy gifted him and he’s donating to Disney.

“Nothing at this point is left on my agenda, businesswise,” says Iger, who has spent these last few weeks saying his goodbyes. On a recent trip to New York, he met up with his 96-year-old former boss at Cap Cities/ABC and longtime mentor, Tom Murphy. “One of the things he taught me was take chances with people. Don’t overemphasize experience — overemphasize talent,” Iger says Murphy counseled him about making hiring decisions. “He took chances on me a number of times. That was a huge lesson.”

Murphy and other of his former colleagues, including Dan Burke and the late Roone Arledge, are featured prominently in Iger’s 2019 book, a New York Times bestseller, in which he shares what he’s gleaned from leading a company whose global staff numbers almost 200,000 employees.

Last week, Iger sent a farewell note to all those employees and “cast members,” imploring them to “always keep the creative fires burning” and thanking his four children, who never took for granted that “Dad” had one of the coolest jobs in the world, and his wife Willow Bay, “my single most trusted advisor, and my partner in all aspects of my life.”

Iger and Bay, who is dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, hosted a party at their home a few weeks ago for about 90 guests, including several of his onetime colleagues — former ABC Entertainment chairman Ted Harbert, ABC News retired executive and producer Stu Bloomburg and sportscaster Al Michaels, who spent three decades as a commentator for ABC Sports, before moving to NBC.

“It was my way and Willow’s way of saying, ‘Thank you,’” says Iger. “I’m looking forward to unplugging more than anything else and waking up one day and not feeling all the responsibility that I have on my shoulders.”
I ask Iger what he won’t miss.

“I officially became CEO on Oct. 1, 2005, and I really have not had a day off since. Not a day off. I’m looking forward to what I’ll call a true day off. And I’m not talking about a day on my boat where I’m answering emails all day and screening rough cuts,” says Iger.

He’s eagerly anticipating taking his whole family — including his five grandchildren — to Disney World right after Christmas, but he assures me: “That’s not work; that’s just vacation.”

Iger says his first real day off will be Jan. 1.

“I guess I’m going to watch some college football without having to worry about the outcome of the ratings.”
In a wide-ranging interview, Iger talks about his legacy, reveals the subject of the next book he plans to write and shares his views on the current and future state of the ever-evolving media business during the most disruptive period “in our lifetime.”

The following are edited excerpts from that Dec. 8 interview.

VARIETY: Tell us something about Bob Iger we don’t already know.

IGER: I’d say the thing that would surprise most people is that I’m much more of an introvert than an extrovert. I’m an introvert that plays extrovert at times when it is necessary.

VARIETY: Well, that must be most of the time.

IGER: It is.

VARIETY: You had planned on retiring from Disney on several different occasions. What drove your decision to actually leave this time?

IGER: Well, the same thing that drove my decision to retire the first time, which I failed at, and that is I happen to believe that change at the top has value for a company. It brings in new perspective, kind of a fresh pair of eyes and a new way of doing things and looking at things. Secondly, I wanted to leave of my own volition. I wanted to leave not only with my head held high but my body feeling pretty strong … so that if there were to be another chapter or another thing that I wanted to accomplish in life, I would have the vitality and energy to do so.

VARIETY: And what is that next chapter likely to be? You’re someone who gets up at 4:15 every morning. I don’t see you just sitting on boards, volunteering and playing golf.

IGER: You’re absolutely right. I don’t play golf. I’m wired to be active and busy and engaged. So I’m looking forward to having to be imaginative with my time for the first time maybe in my life. I joke to people that I haven’t had a summer off since eighth grade. I’m looking forward to a blank canvas and having the good fortune of having a lot of paint to paint with and trying to figure out what it is I do with that canvas. Honestly, very few decisions have been made, and most people that I’ve spoken with who have stepped down, particularly from positions of significant responsibility, all counseled me to go slowly and not make any big decisions right away. And I’m not at all anxious about that.

VARIETY: Could you imagine yourself doing something full-time again?

IGER: No. I have no interest in running another company. I’ve mostly been focused on doing some selective investing in relatively new companies as a means of advising and mentoring founders. I’ll do more of that, but beyond that no plans at all.

VARIETY: Are these media or tech companies you’re investing in?

IGER: I’m investing in companies that are using technology to disrupt current businesses. Only one comes close to touching media, and it’s pretty far afield from the media I’ve been engaged in. The others are far afield from that.

VARIETY: When I read your book, I was surprised at how serious you once were about running for president of the United States. Are politics completely off the table for you now?

IGER: They are.

VARIETY: Why is that?

IGER: Looking back on it, I think I was a little bit too idealistic. I think I was just really naive and maybe a bit presumptuous about my abilities, but more than that just presumptuous about my chances. And I’m just over it.

VARIETY: I hear you are planning to write another book. Could you tell us about it?

IGER: The publisher that published the first book [Random House] is ready to go, but I’ve not signed on the dotted line yet, so I haven’t made any official announcements. I haven’t started writing the book. I wrote a proposal that I sent to the publisher. But to answer the question, in observing how leaders reacted to the pandemic and to COVID, it struck me that leaders are frequently balancing a set of countervailing dynamics in order to successfully lead through a crisis of that magnitude. To give you a couple of examples: One would need to act with speed because of the nature of the crisis, but to collect as much knowledge and be as deliberate as possible; and where on the sliding scale of timing and decision making must you be, for instance. Another is the whole notion of needing to be optimistic — because I think, particularly during a crisis, people are looking for hope and optimism — but at the same time needing to be extremely realistic to call it like it is so that those people are acting accordingly.

VARIETY: Post-Disney, do you expect to keep your hand in the creative process in some way?

IGER: I think that’s probably my biggest challenge. Actually, my wife said something to me last night when I returned from the “West Side Story” premiere and obviously feeling such exhilaration for art at its highest form. She said, “You’re going to have to figure out a way to keep those muscles in tone, so to speak, or stay involved enough,” because she knows that nothing has motivated me more than that really. Of all the things that I will miss, besides the great people I’ve worked with, is being engaged fully in the creative processes. I’m going to have to figure that out, but I have not yet.

VARIETY: How difficult has it been managing a huge creative enterprise like Disney?

IGER: It’s not difficult if you apply a few critical principles. First is you have to respect the creators and their creative processes a lot and not encroach. In other words, do no harm. Be there as a cheerleader to encourage, to push and to demand excellence and innovation. Part of the underpinning of successful creative leadership is trust — trusting people in the end to do the right thing.

VARIETY: I’d love to hear your views on the current and future state of the media business. Do you think that any of the legacy companies that don’t have global scale can survive without being gobbled up by one of the big tech enterprises like Google or Apple?

IGER: That’s a complex question. We are living in a world that is experiencing more profound disruption at a higher rate than we’ve ever seen in our lifetime, obviously due to huge advances in technology that are going on as we speak. Any company that does not keep pace or allow itself to innovate will fail. It’s that simple. We’ve seen it countless times. If we pause for a moment and think back on all the companies that failed to be innovative, everybody always uses Xerox or Kodak, companies like that. If you were to look at all the most valuable brands in the world in the decade since Disney was founded in 1923, there are only two companies left that are still considered among the top global brands — Disney and Cola-Cola.

VARIETY: GE is another company, once the largest in the world, that failed to innovate, and now it is no longer.

IGER: Yes, I do happen to understand how difficult it is for companies operating in a traditional space to be innovative. Not only are you potentially disrupting your own business and the bottom line, but sometimes it takes you spending money, which comes off the bottom line. I learned those lessons when we decided to transform the company by going into the direct-to-consumer digital distribution business. Highly disruptive to the bottom line, to all kinds of habits, structures, you name it. Extremely difficult to do.

VARIETY: All true, but you’re someone who has always embraced new technology.

IGER: Yes. I think transformation requires leadership. A leader has to declare what transformation is necessary and then be more resolute than you can imagine. In other words: “This is the direction we are going in, and everybody needs to get out of your way.” Essentially, you don’t take no for an answer.

VARIETY: Over your 15 years as CEO, you’ve transformed Disney in so many ways, including with the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox and the launch of ESPN Plus and Disney Plus. What are you most proud of?

IGER: I could cite a number of examples, “Black Panther” probably being near the top of the list. Cutting the ribbon and opening a theme park in Shanghai and delivering the quintessential Disney theme park experience to the most populous city and country in the world. Signing a contract at this desk in this office with George Lucas to buy Lucasfilm. Standing at Pixar with Steve Jobs and being handed a Luxo Jr. lamp and saying to a thousand people at Pixar that I’m going to use this to illuminate the castle. An incredible moment buying Marvel, of course, is right up there, and gaining access to not only the treasure trove of great characters but so many incredibly talented people who knew so much about the Marvel brand and its storytelling potential.

VARIETY: What are some of the hardest decisions you had to make?

IGER: I think the hardest always was having to make tough decisions about people. I mean, some people made it easier I guess by their behavior, but a lot of people didn’t. People I liked, people I respected, people I worked closely with. Looking back, I’ve never felt great about having to make tough decisions about people, even though it’s necessary.

VARIETY: Is there anything you would have done differently?

IGER: Surprisingly, not much. I’m not a second-guesser. I look back at things and try to use them as lessons in terms of what I might do better going forward.

VARIETY: So, no regrets?

IGER: No, not really.

VARIETY: Bob Chapek has some pretty big shoes to fill. What would you say he needs to do to continue growing Disney and keep the company ahead of the curve?

IGER: Bob has to make a lot of those decisions himself. As the world changes and continues to be disruptive, he will be faced with circumstances, challenges and opportunities that are going to be very different than those I’ve been faced with. So he’s going to have to be facile. He’s going to have to have the ability to adapt to a changing time. I’m not presuming he has to do this a certain way. The one thing I have exhorted Bob and everybody else at the company to do is to keep those creative fires burning.

VARIETY: You’ve always been ahead of your time. I remember how in 2005 you made an astonishingly controversial suggestion, which was the simultaneous release of movies in theaters and on DVD. Theater owners and some very big directors went nuts.

IGER: I think I still have some battle scars from that declaration. I felt it was very lonely at the time. One of the things I learned is to keep some of your most innovative thoughts to yourself until you’re really ready. I remember talking to Steve Jobs about that a lot. Over time, I came to appreciate moviemaking much more than I think I appreciated back then because most of my career I spent in television. I learned that the experience of watching a big movie on a big screen outside of your home with a lot of other people was a big deal not just for the company but for consumers. It’s kind of a shared common experience — and there’s real value to that.
I do think what we’re seeing today, and some of it has been accelerated by the pandemic, is far more interest in being entertained in the home. There’s comfort with the technology and comfort with the experience. I do think the big-screen movie experience is migrating, not completely, but to a significant extent to an in-home experience versus an out-of-home experience.

VARIETY: So, do you advocate for the simultaneous release of movies in theaters and in the home?

IGER: The whole day-and-date thing, I don’t know what that gets anybody, frankly. I know everybody says, “Give consumers a choice,” but I think I prefer a model where certain movies — not all movies — are projected on the big screen for a certain period of time and then made available on screening platforms pretty quickly. … My successor may do it completely differently. That’s up to him.

VARIETY: I want to go back to something you wrote about in your book. You were very candid about the tortured process you went through when you were trying to land Michael Eisner’s job after he was fired and how incredibly painful it was that so many people both inside Disney, on the board, and some outside people, like Jeffrey Katzenberg, underestimated you. I believe Jeffrey urged you to leave the company because you were damaged goods.

IGER: The business.

VARIETY: Did you eventually make peace with him?

IGER: Oh, absolutely.

VARIETY: How painful was that period for you?

IGER: I remember it well. Was it painful? Yes, partially because it was very public and there were so many doubters. It’s not easy experiencing that, but it strengthened me in a number of ways. I think it caused me to focus more on what my thoughts were about leading this company and what my plans might be. I think it ended up forcing a discipline on me that served me extremely well once I became CEO and in the years since then. So I harbor no ill will, no grudge. The board went through a very responsible process. Do I wish it would have taken them a little less time, sure. But I got the right results.

VARIETY: You certainly proved all your naysayers wrong.

IGER: I love the fact that I exceeded people’s expectations. There are a lot of things I’m pleased with as I leave this job, and one of them is “OK, I showed all of you.” I think I surprised myself too.

VARIETY: Did you?

IGER: Look, I had no anxiety stepping into this role in terms of my ability to manage this company. I learned a lot, including from Tom Murphy and Dan Burke at Cap Cities. And Michael Eisner taught me about managing this company and about leadership. So, I had the confidence when I came in. I think had I not, I wouldn’t have gotten the job. But I’ve exceeded my own expectations. I didn’t think it was going to turn out this well.

Une page se tourne en ce vendredi 31 décembre 2021.
Après plus de 47 ans au sein d'ABC puis de Disney, dont 15 ans en tant que CEO de The Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger quitte l'entreprise ce soir. Il était le 6ème CEO depuis la création de TWDC.

Son Tweet d'adieu :




Il restera celui qui aura racheté Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm et 20th Century Fox et récupéré les droits d'un des premiers personnages Disney : Oswald. Il aura lancé le plus grand projet cinématographique de tous les temps avec le MCU.
Il aura inauguré Hong Kong Disneyland, initié et ouvert Shanghai Disneyland, transformé Disney California Adventure, initié et ouvert les lands Pandora et Star Wars. Pour les fans de Disneyland Paris que nous sommes, il aura annoncé à l'Elysée en compagnie du président Macron le plan majeur dont les Walt Disney Studios avaient besoin pour un montant de 2 Md€ comprenant les lands Marvel, Frozen et Star Wars.
Enfin, il aura mis Disney en mesure de faire face à la concurrence et à la transformation des modes de consommation en passant d'une société qui distribue ses films aux salles de cinéma à une société qui distribue ses films aux spectateurs directement chez eux grâce à Disney+.

Il laisse sa place à Bob Chapek en tant que Directeur Général et Susan Arnold en tant que Présidente du Conseil d'administration.

Les objectifs de Bob Chapek pour 2022 dans un mémo adressé aux cast members de l'entreprise repris par Variety :

Citation :

Disney CEO Bob Chapek Reveals 2022 Goals in Staff Memo to ‘Set the Stage for Our Second Century’

Disney CEO Bob Chapek outlined his plans for the new year — and a new century as the company prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary — in a memo to staff Monday.

Chapek, who took over for longtime CEO Bob Iger as head of the Walt Disney Company in February 2020, laid out three specific “pillars” as his goals for 2022: “storytelling excellence,” “innovation” and “relentless focus on our audience.”

“Thanks to you, we are weathering the pandemic and emerging stronger than ever,” Chapek wrote. “Over the last two years, we continued to tell the world’s best stories, reorganized, and accelerated our transformation to better serve audiences and guests. We looked inward during a time of social disruption, saw how much was left to do, and made significant change. And of course, we underwent a leadership change — and I am enormously grateful for the tremendous foundation Bob Iger left us.”

He added: “It’s ironic that this disruption is happening as we prepare to celebrate our company’s 100th anniversary. For nearly a century, we have defined and redefined entertainment, created countless lifelong memories, and delighted fans and families around the world. It’s a legacy that is simply unrivalled [sic] — and a welcome responsibility for us to build upon. And so I believe our mission for this year is clear: set the stage for our second century, and ensure Disney’s next 100 years are as successful as our first. To do that, we will focus on three pillars.”

See Chapek’s memo to staff in full below :  


Team,

As we begin the New Year, I want to share our mission and the strategic pillars that will be key to our success—but first, I want to start 2022 on a note of gratitude for all of you, your talent, dedication, and optimism during the most disruptive time in our company’s history.

Thanks to you, we are weathering the pandemic and emerging stronger than ever. Over the last two years, we continued to tell the world’s best stories, reorganized, and accelerated our transformation to better serve audiences and guests. We looked inward during a time of social disruption, saw how much was left to do, and made significant change. And of course, we underwent a leadership change—and I am enormously grateful for the tremendous foundation Bob Iger left us.

You achieved those things during a once-in-a-century pandemic, and I want to acknowledge those whose roles require them to be in the office or one of our parks, as well as those working from home while managing at-home learning and gaps in childcare. I also appreciate your patience as we begin reopening our offices. Our long-term goal is to provide greater flexibility, and your leaders will be in touch as plans evolve.

It’s ironic that this disruption is happening as we prepare to celebrate our company’s 100th anniversary. For nearly a century, we have defined and redefined entertainment, created countless lifelong memories, and delighted fans and families around the world. It’s a legacy that is simply unrivalled—and a welcome responsibility for us to build upon.

And so I believe our mission for this year is clear: set the stage for our second century, and ensure Disney’s next 100 years are as successful as our first. To do that, we will focus on three pillars.

First, storytelling excellence. What makes Disney so unique is that the stories we tell mean something to people. They inspire, give hope, bring us together, illuminate the world around us, and create memories. That is Disney magic, and we must continue to set the creative bar higher and higher. To that end—and in addition to all my other creative meetings—I am establishing a new standing monthly meeting with our senior creative leaders to discuss the opportunities we face as a storytelling enterprise. This will encourage collaboration, sharing of best practices, and stimulate cross-studio ideation.

Second, innovation. Since Steamboat Willie, we have been the world’s foremost innovative storytellers. That must continue as technology evolves, giving our creative teams new canvases like the metaverse on which to paint. We should be especially innovative as we seek to bring stories to life in new ways—particularly if they enhance what many call our “franchise ecosystem,” which is one of the things that sets us apart.

And third, relentless focus on our audience. We are a big company with many constituents and stakeholders, all of whom have a place in our decision-making. But at the end of the day, our most important guide—our North Star—is the consumer. Right now, their behavior tells us and our industry that the way they want to experience entertainment is changing—and changing fast thanks to technology and the pandemic. We must evolve with our audience, not work against them. And so we will put them at the center of every decision we make.

When you look at the entertainment landscape, I believe Disney stands alone. We have the world’s most creative storytelling engine along with the world’s most beloved brands and franchises—which we can bring to life in ways no one else can. We have a portfolio of distribution platforms across the world—including powerful streaming services—with the ability to reach audiences anywhere, anytime. We have the #1 news organization and the most trusted brand in sports. We bring people together and make magical memories that last a lifetime at our parks and on our cruise ships. We have a unique ability to impact culture and connect with people on deeply personal levels. And we have you—the best team in the business.

I couldn’t think of a better combination, and I could not be more optimistic about our future. I look forward to setting the stage for our next century with all of you, and to making the unique brand of magic that only Disney can.

Bob

https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/disney-bob-chapek-2022-goals-1235150476/

Chapek a écrit:

new canvases like the metaverse

Ça promet...

Chapek a écrit:

And third, relentless focus on our audience. We are a big company with many constituents and stakeholders, all of whom have a place in our decision-making. But at the end of the day, our most important guide—our North Star—is the consumer. Right now, their behavior tells us and our industry that the way they want to experience entertainment is changing—and changing fast thanks to technology and the pandemic. We must evolve with our audience, not work against them. And so we will put them at the center of every decision we make.

Elle est bonne celle lá, surtout côté parcs. "C'est pourquoi, et parce que nous aimons notre public que nous avons décidé d'augmenter pharaoniquement tous les prix; de ralentir tous les investissements parcs et d'annulé d'autres; de réduire les offres; les services gratuits et tout ce qui faisait le petit plus Disney. Tout ça parce que we love our audience and we know what they expect from us: to pay more for less"!

Quelques fans possédant également des actions de The Walt Disney Company appellent à voter contre la réélection de Bob Chapek lors de l'assemblée annuelle des actionnaires qui se tiendra le 9 mars prochain.

Ceci dit, aujourd'hui les principaux actionnaires de The Walt Disney Company sont des fonds d'investissement, encore des fonds d'investissement, toujours des fonds d'investissement qui n'en ont rien à faire de "la Magie Disney", du manque de créativité, de la "perte des valeurs de Walt Disney" et cetera.

Tout ce qui compte pour ces fonds d'investissement c'est que le porte-feuille de chacun de leurs clients fructifie, prenne de la valeur et rapporte des dividendes tous les six mois, c'est la seule réalité qui compte pour eux.

Depuis que la veuve de Steve Jobs a vendu la plus grande partie de ses parts, les seuls actionnaires en personne physique du top 25 sont actuellement... des cadres de l'entreprise (ou ancien cadre) :  Bob Iger en tête (président exécutif et président du conseil d'administration de la Walt Disney Company jusqu'au 31 décembre dernier), suivi de Christine McCarthy (directrice financière de The Walt Disney Company) et Alan Braverman (vice-président directeur, secrétaire et avocat général de The Walt Disney Company)

Citation :

Outraged Disney shareholders want CEO Bob Chapek voted out: ‘Magic is gone’

A group of Disney fans — fuming over soaring ticket prices and long lines at theme parks — have bought the company’s stock and are threatening to vote against CEO Bob Chapek’s re-election at a March 9 annual shareholder meeting.

The irate fans took to Reddit to organize against re-electing Chapek, who grabbed the reins from longtime CEO Bob Iger two years ago. They griped over price hikes of tickets, food and merchandise at Disneyland and Disney World, as well as declining customer service at the theme parks, among others things.

In a thread called “Unhappy with the Current State of Disney Parks?,” one Reddit user wrote: “If you are a Disney shareholder you likely received an email yesterday asking you to vote in the annual meeting. Bob Chapek is up for re-election to the board of directors.

“This is the most direct way to let Disney know if you are unhappy with his leadership, at least more so than complaining on Reddit or signing an online petition,” the Reddit user added. “It may seem insignificant, and will likely not be successful in removing him directly, but recall that Michael Eisner lost 43% of the vote in 2004 after Roy E. Disney lead a campaign to oust him and he was removed shortly thereafter. We can do this again.”

One angry shareholder, who recently visited Disney World’s Epcot, vented over long lines and the fact that they have to now pay for access to fast pass, a program that allows customers to make reservations for rides without having to stand on line.

“The magic is gone. Parks were oversold, 2 hour+ waits for everything, major rides like Ratatouille and Rise of the Resistance ‘down’ all day, plus charging now for fast pass access, charging for parking at Disney resorts,” the user wrote. “No parades, food prices out of control. Seriously, how many millions does one CEO need. We’ve been to Disney annually for the last 12 years and what’s going on there now is heartbreaking.”

Other shareholders also called out Chapek’s hefty $32.5 million in compensation in 2021, which has earned the exec the nickname “Paycheck” on the Reddit board.

“F–k Bob Paycheck,” wrote on user.

“I’ve become much less trustful of this company’s leadership. I voted against Paycheck and For all the shareholder topics the board doesn’t want you to vote for,” another said, explaining that hiking prices and penny-pinching juices Disney’s financials, which benefits management, not customers.

But Disney, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, has said it is increasing prices in order to make up for the loss of business.

Recently, anger has bubbled over among fans over the sky-high prices of Disney’s newest Star Wars-themed hotel as an example of the company’s outlandish new strategy. Disney World’s new cruise ship-like hotel, dubbed “Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser,” has recently been slammed by fans as subpar and too expensive.

For example, a two-night stay on the “Halcyon starcruiser” starts at $4,809 on weeknights for the most modest package, a two-guest cabin, according to the voyage’s website.

For a three-guest cabin, the price rises to $5,299, and for a four-guest cabin it’s a $5,999 “voyage total.” Suite pricing for four or more passengers was not listed on the website.

Meanwhile, outraged Disney fans have taken to Change.org to sign a petition dubbed “Fire Bob Chapek.” The petition, which says the CEO has “consistently put himself and money above the product, and quality of the company,” has garnered over 95,000 signatures.

https://nypost.com/2022/02/07/outraged-disney-shareholders-want-ceo-bob-chapek-voted-out/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=SocialFlow&sr_share=facebook&utm_source=NYPFacebook&fbclid=IwAR1cwdok0tIJ9PKwj3fTy09Pnke8PhhsWKMLjkQeeEAsl8D6ff-ycxLP-sY

Il est vrai que la pétition de change.org prend de l'ampleur : Fire Disney CEO Bob Chapek

On arrive au 100 000 signataires.

Je mets l'info ici vu que je sais pas trop où la mettre sinon, le contrat de PDG de Bob Chapek vient d'être prolongé pour 3 ans.

Le conseil d'administration de The Walt Disney Company a voté à l'unanimité la prolongation du contrat de Bob Chapek pour trois années supplémentaires en tant que directeur général avec revalorisation de son contrat.

"The Walt Disney Company a été durement touchée par la pandémie, mais avec Bob à la barre, nos entreprises, des parcs à thème au streaming, ont non seulement résisté à la tempête, mais ont également émergé en position de force.

En cette période importante de croissance et de transformation, le conseil d'administration s'est engagé à maintenir la Walt Disney Company sur la voie du succès sur laquelle elle se trouve aujourd'hui, et le leadership de Bob est essentiel pour atteindre cet objectif.

Bob est le bon leader au bon moment pour The Walt Disney Company, et le conseil d'administration lui fait entièrement confiance, ainsi qu'à son équipe de direction" a déclaré Susan Arnold, présidente du conseil d'administration de The Walt Disney Company.


La communication de l'entreprise :

Citation :

Disney Board Extends Bob Chapek’s Contract as CEO for Three Years

Today, The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors unanimously voted to extend Bob Chapek’s contract as Chief Executive Officer for three years.

“Disney was dealt a tough hand by the pandemic, yet with Bob at the helm, our businesses—from parks to streaming—not only weathered the storm, but emerged in a position of strength,” said Susan Arnold, Chairman of the Board. “In this important time of growth and transformation, the Board is committed to keeping Disney on the successful path it is on today, and Bob’s leadership is key to achieving that goal. Bob is the right leader at the right time for The Walt Disney Company, and the Board has full confidence in him and his leadership team.”

“Leading this great company is the honor of a lifetime, and I am grateful to the Board for their support,” said Chapek, Chief Executive Officer. “I started at Disney almost 30 years ago, and today have the privilege of leading one of the world’s greatest, most dynamic companies, bringing joy to millions around the world. I am thrilled to work alongside the incredible storytellers, employees, and cast members who make magic every day.”

Chapek’s career at Disney spans nearly 30 years. He became the seventh CEO in the Company’s nearly 100-year history just weeks before the company’s theme parks and the majority of its content production was shut down due to COVID-19. Since then, he has set Disney on a course to lead the entertainment industry well into the company’s next century, with a keen focus on storytelling excellence, innovation, and audiences.

Prior to becoming CEO, Chapek served as Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products from the segment’s inception in 2018, after serving as Chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts since 2015. Chapek also led Disney Consumer Products and served as president of Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, as well as president of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

The Walt Disney Company - 28 juin 2022.

Il semblerait que pour Bob Iger lui-même, le choix de Bb Chapek en successeur serait l'une de ses pires décisions en terme de business. La transition ne se serait pas déroulée comme Iger l'avait prévu, et il resterait mécontent de la façon dont elle a été gérée, ne s'attendant pas à ce que Chapek soit un tel "novice" lorsqu'il s'agissait de gérer des problèmes complexes comme la gestion des talents et les batailles politiques. Chapek serait arrogant et indifférent aux opinions des autres.

INSIDER a écrit:

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger battled the company's board over succession, insiders say, and was unhappy about the transition of power to Bob Chapek
Claire Atkinson


Bob Iger thought he would spend his final year as Disney's CEO on a global goodbye tour, bidding a personal adieu to the dignitaries and employees who helped create Shanghai Disney and theme parks from Tokyo to Paris.

Instead, according to several Disney sources and others familiar with Iger's thinking, the executive spent 2020 and 2021 watching COVID-19 devastate the company he had led for 15 years — and regretting what he has called one of his worst business decisions: the selection of Bob Chapek as his successor.  

The company was facing an unprecedented crisis and had two men with their hands on the wheel steering in different directions. One of them had to prevail.  

In the press release announcing Chapek's appointment, the company said the new CEO would report to Iger, now Disney's executive chairman, and the board (chaired by Iger). Iger's intention was to mentor his successor, especially as the COVID crisis deepened.

But the transition didn't roll out as Iger had planned and he remains unhappy with how it was handled, said one person closely familiar with his thinking.

Disney, known for its superb marketing and textbook public relations and investor relations, began stumbling. Chapek and Iger had different ideas about how to handle COVID, how the company should be structured, and where Disney's politics should be. They even had different corporate advisory teams, sometimes working against each other.

Even after finally wrapping his Disney story in December, Iger has found ways to register his disagreement with Chapek's decisions and his concern about the company's performance. From an ugly contract dispute with "Black Widow" star Scarlett Johansson to a battle over Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" legislation to the handling of top exec Peter Rice's exit, Chapek has made several prominent missteps — and Iger has indicated, privately and in one case on Twitter, his disagreement with his successor's choices.

Last week both men were spotted at Allen & Co.'s Sun Valley mogul retreat. The two exchanged a cordial greeting but that was it, according to a person who was there.

Why Iger moved up the timeline of his exit
Iger's fateful February 2020 handoff of the CEO role, while expected for years (and postponed multiple times), came as a surprise — with its "effective immediately" wording — to Wall Street and Hollywood. Paul McCartney even phoned his friend Iger to see if he was OK or possibly facing an illness.

The day of the announcement, the company's share price fell by more than 2%. The mastermind of huge acquisitions such as Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Fox, Iger had boosted Disney's stock to stratospheric heights, and the company's market capitalization rose 400 percent during his tenure. He'd been expected — and was contracted — to stay on as CEO through 2021.

"It was Bob Iger's desire to move the timeline up — and if COVID hadn't happened, none of the stuff between [him and Bob Chapek] would have transpired," said one Disney executive, referring to the friction that developed between the two men ahead of Iger's final exit. "The board was surprised; it was several months before his departure date."

"He got tired of all the things you have to do," added the Disney exec, who recalled going to Iger with day-to-day business issues in those final years — only to be told that the boss didn't want to engage. "He really wanted to play around with creative and not worry about all the business crap."

The person familiar with Iger's thinking disputed this, saying the CEO was still engaged and simply felt that with Disney+ successfully launched in 2019, the company was in good shape for a handoff.

In April 2020, just two months after Chapek was elevated, Iger told the New York Times he was still hands on. "A crisis of this magnitude, and its impact on Disney, would necessarily result in my actively helping Bob [Chapek] and the company contend with it, particularly since I ran the company for 15 years!" he wrote in an email to Ben Smith, then the paper's media columnist.

Iger's public assertion of power came as "a slap in the face" to Chapek, an executive familiar with Chapek's thinking previously told Insider. Iger was also lobbying the board, according to the Disney executive, to enforce the chain of command and keep him involved in decision making.

Three days after Smith's Times column ran, the board gave Chapek a director's seat, with lead independent director Susan Arnold and Iger both singing his praises. (Arnold would later take Iger's place as board chair.)

Two former Disney executives told Insider they are piqued at their former leader for stepping down when he did. They are powerless to do anything but wring their hands as the stock price and their 401(k) plans languish. One close associate of Iger's told Insider it still pains him to see Chapek stripping Disney of all that he built.

Iger's succession planning was 'a notable failure'
It was soon after the November 2019 launch of Disney+, which notched 10 million subscribers on its first day, when Iger broached the idea with Disney's board of speeding up the succession plan, said the person familiar with his thinking.

Iger's relationship with the board had been less than rosy in the years before he stepped down. "The board was harassing Bob about his succession plan and his planning was a notable failure," said a former Disney executive.

While Iger had been an extraordinarily capable CEO, it seems his blind spot was identifying the best person to follow him.

Iger had lined up a series of potential successors, most prominently CFO Jay Rasulo to COO Tom Staggs, but both departed Disney by 2016. One person close to the company said former Disney CEO Michael Eisner had made life difficult during Iger's own ascension, and Iger felt any successor ought to be suitably battle tested.

Three months after Chapek was elevated, Disney lost another exec who'd been considered a CEO candidate: head of
streaming
Kevin Mayer, who — after a brief stint at TikTok — partnered with Staggs to set up Blackstone-backed production acquisition vehicle Candle Media.

In late-2019 conversations with the board, according to the person familiar with his thinking, Iger pointed to the succession plan at Nike, where Mark Parker relinquished the CEO role and became executive chairman as a new CEO stepped in. (Parker has been a member of the Disney board since 2016.)

Iger proposed that he continue to ensure there was a pipeline of content for the company's multiple distribution platforms while Chapek stepped up to manage the other parts of Disney's business, according to the person familiar with Iger's thinking.

The board wasn't thrilled with Iger's proposal and suggested that he consider making Chapek a chief operating officer instead, with Iger remaining as CEO until he was ready to fully relinquish his operational duties.

The board and Iger continued to toss around multiple candidates. But Iger pushed for Chapek as CEO, said the person familiar with his thinking. Chapek, after all, had been in charge of two major units — parks and consumer products — and there was a belief in his integrity, this person said, and that "he wouldn't screw it up."

Chapek wasn't viewed as a "visionary," this person added, but nor was Iger at the beginning of his tenure.

The former Disney exec said that in the years leading up to his exit, Iger felt that the board had not fully appreciated his leadership. "He said he was tired of being harangued about [succession] and said, 'Fine, you guys have someone else run the business.'"

That was Iger's mindset when he proposed Chapek, this person said, adding, "He greatly regretted it as soon as COVID hit."

Disney board chair Susan Arnold and other board members referred questions to the company's internal PR executive.

The transition of power from Iger to Chapek 'wasn't smooth'
Iger began to have regrets about his decision to step down, insiders said, as it became clearer with each passing week in early 2020 that COVID would bring a wrecking ball to the company. He also questioned Chapek's restructure that would break the content business into two halves: "creative engines," said the company's announcement, and a centralized distribution group.

"If he had known and understood the scope of the pandemic, he never would have stepped down when he did," said a second former Disney executive, who cited the CEO's leadership qualities and high EQ.

The Disney board backed Chapek rather than enforcing the original agreement that Iger would guide and mentor his successor.

"It wasn't smooth," said the person familiar with Iger's thinking. After a 47-year run at the company, Bob Iger felt his final Disney years were a disappointment.

And the board's decision to renew Chapek in June — even after a series of communications missteps and amid an ongoing political battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — appears to be an attempt to put the Iger years firmly in the rearview mirror.

While morale is described as terrible among many content-side executives, Wall Street is giving Chapek the benefit of the doubt for now, counting on a rebound at the company's parks, where margins are expanding thanks to big price hikes. After hitting an all-time high of over $200 in March 2021, Disney's share price has fallen 41% year-to-date.

Iger meanwhile has continued to voice his regrets. He has said he did not know that Chapek was such a "novice" when it came to handling complex issues like talent management and political battles, and that Chapek was arrogant and uninterested in other people's opinions, said the former Disney exec. Chapek defenders say he has made bold moves in restructuring Disney and led huge capital spending projects at the parks. A Disney spokesman declined comment.

"For many of us who are deeply loyal to him," Iger's choice of Chapek was "confusing," this person said. "No one expected it to fall apart this fast."

These days, Iger's been sailing and cycling, including long rides around Santa Ynez and a cruise in the Panama canal. He has set up in a Los Angeles office at former Goldman Sachs banker Gerry Cardinale's RedBird Capital Partners and is investing in start-ups with his former Disney chief of staff, Nancy Lee. Despite entreaties to join private equity firms, he prefers to go it alone.  

"He's still figuring it out," said the former Disney exec. "He's got plenty of money, he's got great skills. I expect him to do great things. I don't think he has to be in a rush."  

Iger is still rooting for Disney to win, whoever is in charge, said the person familiar with his thinking — and friends say he is still giving notes on movies and still checks the Emmy nominations and talks to executives at the company.

At 71, Iger is also at work writing a second book.

The topic? Leadership in times of crisis.

Je suis pas un spécialiste du tout de l'entreprise mais j'aimerais si possible que quelqu'un de calé en la matière m'explique pourquoi sur le forum tout le monde déteste ce bob chapek?
Dès fois cela me semble un peu disproportionné et disons le de mauvaise foi

Oh je peux t'assurer que ce n'est pas que sur ce forum qu'il est détesté ^^
Chapek est un financier, un gestionnaire. Ce n'est pas un créatif ni vraiment un visionnaire. Les coupes budgétaires, c'est lui, déjà lorsqu'il était à la tête de la division Parks & Resort. C'est principalement pour ça que les fans ne l'apprécient pas.

Mais ce que je comprend mal c'est que les développements récents dans les parcs sont je trouve plutôt cool (depuis 2016 y a quand même eu du lourd aux US quand même)
Même en france depuis 2018 il y a des investissements comme il y en a sans doute jamais eu depuis l'ouverture du parc..
Les résultats sont bons malgré le COVID l'entreprise s'en ai bien sortit
Disney+ commence à bien tourner au niveau des contenus présents et surtout à venir.
Bref il a sans doute des défauts cet homme mais y a un délit de sale gueule j'ai l'impression quand meme

Non, c'est juste un gros minable qui pense qu'au fric, et pas à l'image de l'entreprise (ou à retard concernant cette dernière). Pour lui, les clients de Disney sont juste des bonnes grosses vaches à lait dont il doit extraire le maximum, tout en offrant le minimum.

Enfin il est pas tout seul. Si la politique actuelle de Disney est de maximiser le profit, peu important la satisfaction des clients, tous les actionnaires la soutiennent. La solution doit venir des clients.

Evidemment qu'il n'est pas tout seul... il a le conseil d'administration derrière lui, c'est pas pour rien qu'ils ont reconduit son contrat de CEO pour 3 ans de plus.