Iger’s Succession Is Disney’s “Number One Priority” – Board Member Comments Ahead of Crucial Shareholder Meeting

Now that April has arrived, it’s crunch time.

Disney’s annual shareholders meeting will take place in just a couple short days — on April 3rd. This crucial meeting is where shareholders will be able to vote on Disney’s next Board of Directors, which could drastically change the trajectory of the Company. The ongoing proxy battle has recently kicked up a notch, and Disney urges investors to vote in favor of its own 12 nominees rather than activist investor Nelson Peltz and his Trian Group (who have partnered with former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo) or Blackwells Capital. Only two days ahead of the meeting, a current Board member has spoken out.

Carolyn Everson, current Disney Board member, spoke with CNBC about the upcoming shareholders meeting as well as the urgent plans of the current Board.

Everson shared that as a Board, their number one priority is to “oversee the succession process.” Disney announced last year that current CEO Bob Iger will step down in 2026. Before then, though, Iger must fire and train a successor so that the transition in leadership is smooth and seamless.

According to Everson, the Board is entirely focused on that transition and is currently looking at internal and external candidates. Iger himself is mentoring these candidates as well as travel them.

“It’s the number one job of the board, and we take it very seriously,” Everson stated.

So, what does this have to do with the upcoming shareholders meeting? Well, if Peltz is elected, the board could have to be prepared for Iger to walk away SOONER and therefore name a new successor sooner.

Everson said, “[If Iger leaves], that would be a terrible outcome for Disney.”

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the outcome of this shareholder meeting. Make sure to follow along so that you’re always in the loop.

Looking for more on Peltz and Disney’s current Board nominees? Click here! 

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