Disney is looking to replace CEO Bob Iger. Here's who might succeed him

Disney’s search for the next leader of the House of Mouse is heating up, as a deadline to name a successor to outgoing Disney CEO Bob Iger has been set, and new potential candidates are emerging.

Disney board member — and future chairman— James P. Gorman set a deadline of early 2026 to name Iger’s replacement. The media giant’s board of directors tapped Gorman in August to lead the succession process.

Just a year after retiring, Iger returned to the company in 2022 to serve what was supposed to be a two-year term as CEO. He is now expected to leave the company — again — by 2026. Disney said it is considering both internal and external candidates. However, internal candidates are currently undergoing a preparation process that includes mentorship from Iger and external coaching.

Here are some of the top contenders in the running to succeed Iger.

Disney has expanded its search for its next CEO to some external candidates, the Wall Street Journal reported in November. Among them is Andrew Wilson, who has served as the CEO of the video game company Electronic Arts (EA) for over 11 years. EA is known for its blockbuster sports video game franchises like Fifa and Madden NFL, as well as the popular life simulator The Sims. Wilson has crossed paths with Disney a few times throughout his career. In 2018, he was considered for the top job at ESPN and he was previously engaged in talks to potentially sell EA to Disney.

Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden is currently seen as the frontrunner for the job among Hollywood insiders, Reuters reports. Walden previously worked 25 years at 21st Century Fox before joining Disney in 2019 when the latter acquired the former. She currently leads the media giant’s television business, including streaming.

Walden would be the first woman to serve as CEO in the 100-year-old company’s history.

Disney Entertainment’s other co-chair, Alan Bergman, is also reportedly being considered for the role. Bergman has been with the company since 1996 and currently oversees Disney’s movie studios. Disney has said Bergman was “deeply involved” in leading the company’s integration efforts of the various studios it acquired over the years, including Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and the Fox film studios.

ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro’s name has also been thrown around as a potential candidate to succeed Iger. He currently oversees the largest sports media company in the world, which makes up one of Disney’s three core business segments. He recently struck a deal with Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a joint sports streaming service.