Dana Walden

"In the yearslong, high stakes search for a second successor to Bob Iger, Dana Walden made it to the final two contenders. Disney’s board ultimately didn’t choose her to become CEO of the Walt Disney Company, but she came away from the high-profile bake-off with something almost as good—or, arguably, better. Walden, who had led television as co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, is now Disney’s president and chief creative officer. Chief creative officer is a new title for the $94 billion entertainment giant, and president is a seldom-used one—never before held by a woman at Disney. The company created a position for Walden that would capitalize on her strengths and tap her deep relationships with Hollywood talent. As chief creative officer, she oversees streaming, film and TV, and gaming and digital operations; it’s the first time one creative leader at Disney has all those categories under her remit. Within the past year, she’s shepherded projects from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour documentary on Disney+ to The Devil Wears Prada 2. Disney called her new role a “historic first for the enterprise,” while Walden has called it a “dream job.” "