Could NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Be the Next CEO of Disney?
According to FOX Business, the search to find Disney CEO Bob Iger’s successor has officially begun.
While the short list of candidates includes many of the usual suspects, there is also one surprising name on the list — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Photo: Awful Announcing
Throughout its storied history, Disney has often had turbulence surrounding the succession plan of the company’s CEO.
Michael Eisner’s reluctance to name a successor was one of the reasons that the Disney board would eventually turn against the CEO in the mid-aughts.
Bob Iger’s Successor
When Bob Iger named Bob Chapek as his successor in 2021, many thought that Disney had finally avoided one of the pitfalls that had plagued the company in the past.
Chapek’s tenure turned out to be a disaster, however, and Bob Iger returned to the helm in November of 2022.
Photo: Variety
Upon Iger’s return, Disney and Iger both made it clear that he would only be re-assuming the role of CEO for another two years. As such, Disney once again found itself in search of a successor.
A Short List of Candidates
As Disney continues its search for their next CEO, many of the names being floated around make sense.
Top candidates include Dana Walden, Disney’s entertainment co-chair, and Kevin Mayer, a former Disney executive who was previously the CEO of TikTok.
Dana Walden is on Disney’s shortlist for CEO
Other internal candidates could include Alan Bergman, the other co-chair of entertainment, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of parks and resorts, or ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro.
From Commissioner to CEO?
One name that may surprise many, however, is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
However, Silver does obviously have experience running the billion-dollar National Basketball Association. Furthermore, Silver has a long-standing relationship with both Iger and Disney.
Photo: CNN
Before becoming commissioner of the league, Silver spent eight years as president and chief operating officer of NBA Entertainment.
While Silver is certainly savvy with public relations and has run a billion-dollar business, his creative chops and lack of Disney history could be deterrents.
“It’s an unusual choice since Disney is usually run by people who know the entertainment industry,” said an executive of a major sports franchise who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “But he certainly knows Disney and Iger, so it’s possible”
While it doesn’t appear that any candidate has the inside track to the CEO position, the fact that Disney would look for an outside leader like Silver is certainly interesting.
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