Disney is reportedly contemplating Digital Arts CEO Andrew Wilson as a successor to Disney CEO Bob Iger, in keeping with a report within the Wall Avenue Journal.
Wilson is reportedly one in all a number of exterior candidates, in keeping with unnamed sources cited by the WSJ. EA declined to touch upon the story.
Disney is reportedly working with recruiters from the agency Heidrick & Struggles to assessment exterior candidates, and the search agency has recognized a minimum of two extra potential exterior candidates, the sources informed the WSJ.
There have been rumors floated up to now 12 months that Disney needed going to purchase EA, significantly when the partnership on Star Wars video games was going rather well. At the moment, the concept of Wilson turning into CEO of Disney was additionally floated.
Our Disney skilled Mike Minotti famous that Wilson might be an odd selection. Working a Disney requires data of films, merchandise, theme parks, TV, subscriptions, sports activities, cruise strains, video games and extra. Wilson might solely cowl a few these bases.
“I feel that Iger is afraid of creating one other mistake with video video games, however acknowledges the synergies EA brings to Disney,” mentioned Michael Pachter, an analyst for video games at Wedbush Securities. “They may combine Final Group with ESPN and finally even perhaps get into actual cash sports activities wagering. Andrew is younger sufficient to interchange Iger, has 10 years of CEO expertise and has clearly constructed a terrific enterprise at EA. I’m unsure who else is within the combine (there could also be media sorts who make extra sense), however Andrew would get rid of the priority about one other online game failure by Disney. It’s believable a minimum of that he’s into account.”
The WSJ mentioned inside candidates are Disney co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro.
