On Wednesday, Bob Iger’s office on Disney‘s Burbank studio lot was cleared out for Josh D’Amaro, who got his formal start as CEO right as the closely-watched annual shareholder meeting began. That Iger’s things were packed up may not seem that unusual, given the carefully choreographed succession moves by the company. But it’s worth remembering that when Bob Chapek was named CEO in 2020, Iger held on to his space given his role as exec chairman. The message this time is clear: It’s a new era.
As part of the turnover, Disney employees were greeted at their offices with buttons featuring a cartoon portrait of Iger, and the words “Thank you, Bob!” One source on the Burbank lot says that the buttons could be spotted on employees (sorry, in Disney-speak “cast members”) all over the campus. A billboard on the side of a studio building featured Tinkerbell waving her wand next to the words “Welcome, Josh!”