Rebecca Campbell Succeeds Kevin Mayer at Disney

Rebecca Campbell has been named chairman of direct-to-consumer and international at The Walt Disney Company, succeeding longtime Disney executive Kevin Mayer.

Campbell is a 23-year Disney veteran who has held leadership roles across the company’s media, international and parks businesses. She most recently served as president of Disneyland Resort.

As chairman of direct-to-consumer and international, Campbell will oversee the company’s streaming businesses globally, including Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu and Hotstar. Campbell’s portfolio also includes the company’s international businesses, including Disney’s International Channels, Fox Networks International and Star India. Prior to becoming president of Disneyland Resort last year, Campbell was a member of the direct-to-consumer and international leadership team as president of The Walt Disney Company Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), where she oversaw the Disney+ launch strategy and direct-to-consumer roadmap for the region.

Campbell succeeds Mayer, who is leaving the company to become COO of ByteDance and CEO of TikTok, ByteDance’s popular mobile video platform. Mayer has led Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international segment since its founding in 2018 and oversaw the successful launches of ESPN+ and Disney+ and the integration of Hulu.

Josh D’Amaro has been named chairman of Disney parks, experiences and products. D’Amaro most recently served as president of Walt Disney World Resort. He will oversee Disney’s travel and leisure businesses, which include six theme park-resort destinations in the U.S., Europe and Asia; a cruise line; a vacation ownership program; and a guided family adventure business.

“Our company is very fortunate to have a deep bench of talent and we’re extremely pleased to welcome these two exceptionally qualified Disney veterans to our senior management team,” said Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Both Josh and Rebecca have more than two decades of leadership experience with the company, a keen understanding of our brands and businesses, and a shared passion and vision for delivering extraordinary entertainment and one-of-a-kind experiences.”

“Josh is an exceptionally talented, enthusiastic and innovative leader, consistently delivering strong results while demonstrating his unwavering commitment and care for our cast members and a genuine appreciation for the importance of the Disney Difference to our guests,” said Chapek, whom D’Amaro will succeed. “I am certain he will take Disney’s parks, experiences and products segment—home to some of our company’s most iconic and beloved businesses—to exciting new heights in the years to come.”

D’Amaro commented: “I want to thank Bob for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to following his record of driving innovation, value and growth as we deliver unforgettable experiences for our guests. It is an incredible honor to lead our team of talented and dedicated cast members around the globe, who go above-and-beyond every single day. Even during this challenging time, their enthusiasm for what we do is unwavering, and my goal is to bring our cast members back to work as soon as possible so they can continue to create that magic.”

“As we look to grow our direct-to-consumer business and continue to expand into new markets, I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Rebecca,” Chapek said. “She is an exceptionally talented and dedicated leader with a wealth of experience in media, operations and international businesses. She played a critical role in the launch of Disney+ globally while overseeing the EMEA region, and her strong business acumen and creative vision will be invaluable in taking our successful and well-established streaming services into the future.”

Commented Campbell: “Having been a part of the direct-to-consumer and international leadership team, I know what a stellar group it is, and I’m honored to be able to lead the organization during this dynamic and exciting time. Armed with the best creative content engines and technology teams in the industry, I am extremely confident in our ability to continue growing the business around the globe.”

“Kevin has had an extraordinary impact on our company over the years, most recently as head of our direct-to-consumer business,” added Chapek. “He has done a masterful job of overseeing and growing our portfolio of streaming services, while bringing together the creative and technological assets required to launch the hugely successful Disney+ globally. Having worked alongside Kevin for many years on the senior management team, I am enormously grateful to him for his support and friendship and wish him tremendous success going forward.”

Mayer said: “I am very proud of what our extraordinarily talented direct-to-consumer and international team has accomplished in creating and delivering a world-class portfolio of streaming services, particularly Disney+. Rebecca was a critical member of the DTCI team from its inception, and I am certain the business is in great hands and will continue to expand and thrive under her expert leadership. It’s truly been a privilege for me to be part of the iconic Walt Disney Company, and I am enormously grateful to Bob Iger for his trust and confidence, and to Bob Chapek and his senior management team for their collaboration and support over the years.”

More to come…