Bob Chapek | |
---|---|
Born | Robert Alan Chapek 1960 (age 63–64) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Education | |
Title | Board member, Masimo Former chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company |
Term |
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Predecessor | Bob Iger |
Successor | Bob Iger |
Spouse | Cynthia Ford (m. 1980) |
Children | 3 |
Robert Alan Chapek (born 1960) is an American former media executive who was the chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company from 2020 to 2022. He joined Masimo's board of directors in 2024.
Before becoming CEO, Chapek had a 26-year career with The Walt Disney Company, beginning in the Home Entertainment division, and eventually rising to become Chairman of Parks & Resorts. Chapek, who had a controversial tenure as CEO, [1] [2] was dismissed from the position on November 20, 2022, and succeeded by his predecessor, Bob Iger. [3]
Robert Chapek was born in 1960 in the suburbs of Chicago to a working mother and father, Marie (Lofay) and Bernard W. Chapek. [4] [5] [6] He grew up in Hammond, Indiana. [4] His father was a World War II veteran. [7] His family went on annual trips to Walt Disney World. [8]
Chapek graduated from George Rogers Clark Jr./Sr. High School in 1977. [9] He has a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from Indiana University Bloomington and a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University. [10]
Chapek worked for the H. J. Heinz Company in brand management and in advertising for J. Walter Thompson before joining The Walt Disney Company in 1993, where he worked until 2022. [11] In January 2024 he joined the board of directors of Masimo, a medical technology company. [12]
Chapek began his Disney career in 1993 as the marketing director for the company's Buena Vista Home Entertainment division, which at that time was focused on VHS tapes. Then-CEO Michael Eisner described Chapek by saying, "He was always an executive that you knew would be on the rise... He knew how to grow the business while adjusting to the changing marketplace, which was intense." Chapek is credited for bringing Disney's home entertainment division into the digital age, by focusing on releasing properties on DVD and later Blu-ray discs. [13] In 2006, he was promoted to become the president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment. [14] In 2009, he became president of distribution for Walt Disney Studios. [15] Since Chapek began his ascent to the top of the Walt Disney Company from its home video division, he has been called "the home entertainment industry’s single biggest success story." [16]
Chapek was appointed president of Disney Consumer Products in September 2011. [17] After the acquisition of Lucasfilm, Chapek integrated Star Wars merchandise into Disney's licensing program, ensuring that Disney became the world's largest licensor of intellectual property. [18] In 2013, Chapek secured a deal with Hasbro, whereby the toy company paid Disney $80 million in royalties to extend the license for Marvel toys and an agreement for Hasbro to pay Disney up to $225 million for the rights to forthcoming Star Wars merchandise. [19]
In 2014, Chapek launched the Disney Imagicademy, which was a suite of numerous tablet and smart-phone apps designed to give children high quality learning games. [20] This was Disney's first full foray into the learning-app market. Chapek said he spearheaded this initiative after numerous parents told his department that they found it difficult to find high quality learning apps out of the thousands that were available online. [21]
On February 23, 2015, Chapek was named chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts effective that day to replace Thomas O. Staggs, who was promoted to Disney chief operating officer earlier in the month. [22] [23] Chapek immediately began working towards the completion and launch of Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, which hosted over 11 million guests in its first year of operation. [24] The $5.5 billion theme park opened under Chapek’s leadership after months of delays, establishing Chapek’s strong reputation with Iger and Disney’s board. Throughout this process, Iger accompanied Chapek on more than 10 trips to Shanghai, China, observing how Chapek navigated budget issues and construction hurdles. [25] He also oversaw the completion and launch of Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2017. [26] Chapek also directly managed the construction and opening of the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. [27] Disney said of Galaxy's Edge, "It's the most immersive land we have ever built," citing the themed restaurants, shops and roaming interactive characters. Disney reportedly spent $1 billion on the sprawling 14-acre land in Disneyland in Anaheim, prompting CNN to comment that "Disney spared no expense." [28]
As chairman of Parks and Resorts, Chapek invested over $24 billion into the theme parks, attractions, hotels and cruise ships. The New York Times noted that Chapek's spending was more money than Disney spent in acquiring Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm combined. [29]
In the fall of 2017, after Parks and Resorts recorded at 14% increase in operating income, many in the media began to speculate that Chapek would likely succeed Bob Iger as the next Disney CEO. [30] [31]
In March 2018, after a reorganization of divisions in order to prepare for the launch of Disney+, Chapek was given back the consumer products divisions (including the Disney Stores), in addition to his responsibilities for all of the parks and resorts and related experiences. Then, CEO Bob Iger said, "Bob [Chapek] comes to this new role with an impressive record of success at both parks and resorts and consumer products, and he is the perfect leader to run these combined teams." This furthered speculation that Chapek would be Iger's successor. [32] [33] [34]
In August 2019, Chapek announced that he had negotiated a retail collaboration to open 25 mini Disney Store shops within select Target department stores across the United States. Chapek stated that people who purchase Disney products were already likely to shop at Target, and the deal gives Disney the opportunity to expand its own footprint beyond traditional shopping malls. [35] The Disney mini-shops will be an average of 750 square feet and be located near Target's kids clothing and toy departments. They'll have more than 450 items, including more than 100 products previously only available at Disney retail locations. [36]
On May 18, 2020, Chapek announced Josh D'Amaro as his successor to the position of chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. [37]
In February 2020, Bob Iger named Chapek as his hand-picked successor for the role of chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company. Iger retained creative control and would remain as executive chairman until the end of 2021. [25] This was considered a surprise to many Disney employees, who had seen Kevin Mayer as the heir apparent to Iger. [38] In April 2020, Chapek was elected to the Walt Disney Company's board of directors. [39] Iger reportedly resisted relinquishing power to Chapek from the outset, insisting on keeping his office and calling himself “Big Bob” and Chapek “Little Bob”. [25] It was later revealed that while Chapek remained CEO, Iger said he intended to resume control of the company's operational duties for the time being, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [40]
In numerous interviews with financial news outlets during the pandemic, Chapek has said he is focusing on opening Disney's theme parks. In May 2020, Shanghai Disneyland opened with limited guest capacity capped at approximately 24,000 visitors per day, pursuant to government regulations. Chapek acknowledged that this was a "baby step", but found the attendance figures encouraging, considering that the limited number of tickets were selling out. Chapek vowed to increase capacity in the weeks to come, albeit in a conservative manner. [41] [42]
Chapek stated that upon the reopening of Walt Disney World in July 2020, both employees and guests would be required to take temperature checks, wear face masks, and observe social distancing guidelines. He said that the company would continue to work with local government and healthcare professionals to open the parks responsibly. He added that when the parks reopened, the first attraction he will ride would be Pirates of the Caribbean. [43] [44] In October 2020, Chapek agreed to keep Disney World at only 25% capacity until the CDC issued new guidance, and also stated that with regards to reopening Disneyland in California, "It's not much of a negotiation. It's pretty much a mandate that we stay closed." [45] In March 2021, after California eased COVID-19 restrictions, he then stated, "Here in California, we're encouraged by the positive trends we're seeing and we're hopeful they'll continue to improve and we'll be able to reopen our Parks to guests with limited capacity by late April." [46] By July 2021, Walt Disney World had officially ended their mask mandate (except while on Disney transportation) and temperature checks, and were operating at higher capacity. [47] That same month, fireworks shows at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland returned. [48] Under Chapek’s leadership, Disney weathered the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenue for Disney’s parks, experiences, and products business more than doubled to $6.7 billion in the first quarter of 2022, compared with the prior-year period. [25]
In October 2020, Chapek spoke about the company's decision to begin focusing on streaming media, including Disney+, and direct-to-consumer advertising. [49] Multiple films that were originally slated for theatrical releases, including Mulan and Soul , did not receive theatrical releases and instead debuted on Disney+. Mulan was offered on Disney+ for a premium fee, while Soul was offered for no additional cost. [50] [51]
In 2022, as Florida passed its Parental Rights in Education Act (commonly referred to as the "Don't Say Gay law"), reports arose that Disney funded the legislators who wrote and sponsored the bill; this conflicted with the company's pro-LGBT+ image. [52] In a board-approved memo drafted with Geoff Morrell, then chief of corporate affairs, Chapek wrote “corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds. Instead, they are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame. Simply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change.” [25] [52] [53] Chapek's refusal to pause political contributions to legislators who supported the bill and his failure to take a public stance on the legislation was heavily criticized, including by several members of Disney's creative talent. [54] [55] [56] [57] Following the criticism, Chapek reversed course, claiming the company was "opposed to the bill from the outset" and would be donating to several LGBT+ organizations. [58] One LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Campaign, refused funds from Disney until "meaningful action" is taken. [59] The day after, Chapek formally apologized for his prior statements and announced that the company will be ceasing donations to all political parties in Florida while looking to further improve their support for LGBT+ causes. [60] However, this is also considered to be later one of the main reason why the Florida government pushed to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act. [61]
In June 2022, Chapek signed a three-year contract extension to remain as Walt Disney Company CEO. [62] However, on Sunday, November 20, 2022, Iger was reinstated as the CEO. According to Disney insiders through CNBC, Iger was formally requested to return as CEO on the previous day, and Chapek was notified on Sunday night. CNBC later chronicled Iger's unwillingness to give up control of the company, reporting that Iger repeatedly undermined and failed to champion his chosen replacement throughout Chapek's tenure as CEO. [25] At that time the board, through chair Susan Arnold, cited Disney's negative earnings report released at the beginning of the month and believed that Iger was "uniquely situated" to lead Disney. [63] [64] It was later revealed that then-CFO Christine McCarthy "blindsided" Chapek with the company's financial results for the third quarter of 2022. [25]
The New York Times (NYT) further reported that Chapek had a "happy go lucky" demeanor during the conference call held after the November 8 earnings report. Chapek was also criticized by the NYT for emphasizing the success of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Calls for Chapek's removal were emphasized that day by Mad Money host Jim Cramer, who particularly aimed criticism towards Disney's "balance sheet from hell". [65] Investor Nelson Peltz later attributed these losses to Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox under Iger. [66]
Chapek's exit package was expected to be worth $23.4 million, including the remainder of his CEO salary at $6.5 million and a pension worth $16.9 million, which was accumulated over his 30-year career at Disney. [67]
In May 2023, Chapek and a group of other Disney executives were sued for alleged securities fraud. The suit alleged that they had misled investors about Disney+ subscription numbers to make the service appear more successful than it was. [68] [69]
Chapek has been married to his wife Cynthia since 1980 and together they have three children, [8] including former Marvel Studios producer Brian Chapek, [70] [71] and four grandchildren. [8] He resides in Westlake Village, California. [25]
The Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres, of which half has been developed. Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers, a competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property.
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt Disney and Roy Disney as Disney Brothers Studio; it also operated under the names Walt Disney Studio and Walt Disney Productions before changing its name to the Walt Disney Company in 1986. In 1928, Disney established itself as a leader in the animation industry with the short film Steamboat Willie. The film used synchronized sound to become the first post-produced sound cartoon, and popularized Mickey Mouse, who became Disney's mascot and corporate icon.
Disney California Adventure Park is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The 72-acre (29 ha) park is themed after Disney's interpretation of California, by the use of Disney, Pixar and Marvel properties. The park opened on February 8, 2001, and is the second of two theme parks built at the Disneyland Resort complex, after Disneyland Park.
Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, Inc., commonly referred to as Imagineering, is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation, design, and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions worldwide. The company also operates Disney Live Entertainment and The Muppets Studio and manages Disney's properties, from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank to New Amsterdam Theatre and Times Square Studios Ltd. in New York City. Founded by Walt Disney to oversee the production of Disneyland, it was originally known as Walt Disney, Inc. then WED Enterprises, from the initials meaning "Walter Elias Disney", the company co-founder's full name. Headquartered in Glendale, California, Imagineering is composed of "Imagineers", who are illustrators, architects, engineers, lighting designers, show writers and graphic designers.
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Robert Allen Iger is an American media business executive who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company. He previously was the President of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and president and chief operating officer (COO) of Capital Cities/ABC, from 1995 until its acquisition by Disney in 1996. Iger was named president of Disney in 2000 and succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO in 2005, until his contract expired in 2020. He then was executive chairman until his retirement from the company on December 31, 2021. After his exit from the company, Iger continued as an advisor to his successor, and was awarded $2 million per year for such advice. However, at the request of Disney's board of directors, Iger returned to Disney as CEO on November 20, 2022, following the unscheduled and immediate dismissal of his appointed successor, Bob Chapek. In July 2023, Disney renewed Iger's contract until 2026.
"I'm going to Disney World!" and "I'm going to Disneyland!" are advertising slogans used in a series of television commercials by The Walt Disney Company that began airing in 1987. Used to promote the company's theme park resorts in Florida and California, the commercials most often are broadcast following the Super Bowl and typically feature an NFL player shouting the phrase while celebrating the team's victory immediately after the championship game. These commercials have also promoted champions from other sports, and winners of non-sport competitions such as American Idol.
Thomas Owen Staggs is an American business executive and investor. He is currently one of the co-founders and co-CEOs of Candle Media. He formerly worked at The Walt Disney Company for nearly 27 years, beginning in 1990, working in finance and later becoming the chief financial officer (CFO), then as chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide and finally as chief operating officer (COO). He also holds directorships on various company boards, including Spotify.
Disneyland is a theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, and opened on July 17, 1955.
Shanghai Disney Resort is a themed resort in Pudong, Shanghai, China. The resort opened to the public on June 16, 2016. It is the first Disneyland in mainland China. It is also the sixth Disney resort worldwide, after Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.
Toy Story Land is a themed land at Walt Disney Studios Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disneyland, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The area is based on the Disney·Pixar film series Toy Story.
Frozen is a Disney media franchise started by the 2013 American animated feature film Frozen, which was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, screenplay by Lee and produced by Peter Del Vecho, music score by Christophe Beck, and songs written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez. John Lasseter, then-chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, served as the film's executive producer. The original film was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, "The Snow Queen".
Christine McCarthy is an American businesswoman and the former chief financial officer (CFO) of The Walt Disney Company.
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is a themed area inspired by the Star Wars franchise, located in Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. It encompasses 14 acres (5.7 ha) at each park, and is set in the village of Black Spire Outpost, on the remote frontier planet of Batuu, featuring attractions, shops, restaurants and entertainment.
World of Frozen is a themed area based on the Frozen franchise. The land opened at Hong Kong Disneyland and is currently being developed by Walt Disney Imagineering for Tokyo DisneySea under the name of Frozen Kingdom and at Walt Disney Studios Park.
The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries have been variously impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; the company has business interests in areas that involve mass gatherings and isolation.
Josh D'Amaro is an American businessman, who is Chairman of Disney Experiences. Before becoming chairman, D'Amaro has had a 22-year career with The Walt Disney Company, particularly in his positions across the resorts sector of the company.
Kareem Daniel is an American businessman and former media executive at The Walt Disney Company. During his tenure at Disney, he held executive roles in charge of film and television, sports, streaming, theme parks, and consumer products. Prior to Disney, Daniel worked in equity research and investment banking at Goldman Sachs, having begun his career as an electrical engineer. He is also on the board of directors for McDonald's.
Since the passage of Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly known as the Don't Say Gay bill, The Walt Disney Company has been involved in a feud with Florida governor Ron DeSantis and the state's Republican Party. While initially a donor to some of the politicians who voted in favor of the Act, after its passage Disney spoke out against the bill and called for it to be repealed.
Since the 2000s, there has been persistent and periodic speculation of a potential acquisition of the Walt Disney Company, an American media conglomerate, by Apple Inc., an American technology company. Despite there being no evidence of such plans, the notion has been routinely suggested by analysts and pundits and repeatedly dismissed by both companies.
Chapek had been president of distribution for the Walt Disney Studios for two years and was president of the studios' home video arm prior to that.