Bob Iger
Robert Alan Iger (/ˈaɪɡər/; born February 10, 1951)[3] is an American media executive who is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company.[4] 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 formal retirement from the company on December 31, 2021. After his exit from the company, Iger continued as an advisor to his successor.
Bob Iger
February 10, 1951
- CEO, The Walt Disney Company
- Director, Perfect Day
- Director, Genies, Inc.
- September 2005 – February 2020
- November 2022 – present
Bob Chapek
- Democratic (before 2016)
- Independent (2016–present)[1]
4
Jerry Iger (great-uncle)[2]
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.[5] Iger's 2023 pay package included a base salary of $865,385, stock awards of $16.1 million, $10 million in stock option awards, $2.1 million in performance-based compensation and $2.48 million in other compensation, leading to a total pay award of $31.6 million, according to Disney's annual proxy statement. In July 2023, Disney renewed Iger's contract until 2026.
Considered a highly effective and visionary media executive, Iger was able to broaden Disney's roster of intellectual properties, expanded its presence in international markets, and oversaw an increase of the company's market capitalization from $56 billion to $231 billion during his initial 15-year stewardship of the company.[6] He led the major acquisitions of Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion, Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for $4 billion, Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4.06 billion, and the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019 for $71.3 billion. Iger also expanded the company's theme park resorts presence in East Asia, with the introduction of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort in 2005 and 2016, respectively. Additionally, he was also the driving force behind the reinvigoration of Walt Disney Animation Studios, the branded-release strategy of its film studio's output, and the company's increased investment in its direct-to-consumer businesses, including Disney+ and Hulu.
Early life and education[edit]
Robert Alan Iger was born to a Jewish family in New York City.[4][3][7][8] He is the oldest son of Miriam "Mimi" (née Tunick) (1927–2013) and Arthur L. Iger (1926–2010).[9][10] His father was a World War II Navy veteran[11] who was the executive vice president and general manager of the Greenvale Marketing Corporation, and was also a professor of advertising and public relations.[12][9][11] His mother worked at Boardman Junior High School in Oceanside, New York.[13][14] Arthur's father Joe (i.e. Bob's paternal grandfather) was cartoonist Jerry Iger's brother.[2]
He was raised in Oceanside, where he attended the Fulton Avenue School and graduated from Oceanside High School in 1969.[15][16] In 1973, he graduated magna cum laude from the School of Communications at Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Television and Radio.[17]
Accolades and recognition[edit]
In December 2019, Iger was named by Time as their Businessperson of the Year.[79] In 2020, he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.[80]
In September 2022, Iger was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II "for services to the UK/US relations".[81][82]
Controversies[edit]
In November 2017, Variety reported that Iger knew about a 2010 Oscar party where Pixar chief John Lasseter was seen "making out with a junior staffer", seeming to confirm anonymous allegations that Lasseter's inappropriate interactions with young women had been known to company leadership since the 1990s. One anonymous source was quoted as saying, "I know personally that Bob was aware. ... Everybody was aware. They just didn't do anything about it."[83]
In August 2019, Vanity Fair reported that actress Paz de la Huerta added Iger to her lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein over allegations of rape, claiming that he and previous CEO Michael Eisner "made a series of decisions that allowed a range of actions by Harvey Weinstein that unacceptably harmed certain employees".[84] Disney denied any knowledge of misconduct or settlements with victims during Weinstein's run at Miramax from 1993 to 2005.[83]
During a July 2023 interview on CNBC, Iger criticized the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes as "not realistic". He added that the unions "are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive."[85] Iger's comments were widely criticized both inside and outside of Hollywood for being elitist and out of touch, with The Huffington Post writer Marina Fang noting Iger's $27 million annual salary that he received when rejoining Disney.[85]