Dana Walden

In the yearslong, high-stakes search for a second successor to longtime Disney CEO Bob Iger, Dana Walden had made it to the final two contenders. Disney's board ultimately appointed Josh D'Amaro CEO this year, but Walden came away from the high-profile bake-off with a plum job designed for her, as well as a hefty retention bonus. Walden, who had led television and direct-to-consumer as cochairman of Disney Entertainment, is now Disney's president and chief creative officer. The president title had never before been held by a woman at Disney. The position capitalizes on her strengths and taps her deep relationships with Hollywood talent. As chief creative officer, a brand-new title for the $94 billion entertainment giant, she oversees streaming, film, and TV, and gaming and digital operations. In the past year, she has shepherded projects from Taylor Swift's Eras Tour docuseries on Disney+ to FX's Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette. Disney called her new role a "first for the enterprise," while Walden has called it a "dream job." At a moment when Disney is trying to define its post-Iger future, Walden now has rare authority over the stories and talent that will shape the company's next era.