Asad Ayaz Explains Disney’s Latest Round of Layoffs in Memo to Staff
Earlier this week, Josh D’Amaro confirmed that The Walt Disney Company plans to lay off 1,000 employees.
While the latest round of job cuts impacted multiple divisions, the primary focus was Disney’s marketing and brand unit, which was recently consolidated under Asad Ayaz.
Over the past several months, Disney has been working to streamline its advertising operations, eliminating overlapping teams and restructuring its approach.
Photo: Disney
The latest layoffs represent the culmination of an effort that began during the tenure of Bob Iger.
Asad Ayaz’s Memo to Staff
In a memo to staff on Wednesday night, Ayaz provided additional context for the cuts.
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“Over the past few months, the marketing leadership team and I have been working together to design a thoughtful go-forward structure for our unified marketing organization that will unlock innovation, reduce complexity, and build critical capabilities,” Ayaz said, according to Business Insider.
According to Disney’s marketing chief, the changes were made in response to an evolving business environment that requires the company to remain “nimble and modern.”
Photo: The Walt Disney Company
“We carefully considered how the global marketing function is evolving to meet the disruption happening across all industries so we could design an organization that is nimble and modern, fueling world-class creativity and serving consumers and fans in an even more connected and seamless way,” he continued.
Walt Disney Company
“While we have made a great deal of progress, especially with an effort of this scale, there has also been a reduction in certain roles across some of our teams. This difficult news has now been communicated to all employees who have been impacted this week.”
Recognizing the Human Impact
While Ayaz emphasized the necessity of the restructuring, he also acknowledged the human impact of the layoffs.
Walt Disney Company
Like D’Amaro, he noted that Disney will support affected employees.
“I am mindful of the real, personal impact changes like these can have. We are working closely with our HR partners to ensure that those impacted this week are being supported through this process, and I appreciate everyone’s patience and sensitivity as we support our colleagues through this time,” he said.
“I remain confident in the strength of our team and what comes next. Thank you for your continued work, your professionalism, and your compassion for one another as we navigate this transformative time together. Please reach out to me, your leader, or your HR partner if you need anything.”
X-Scott Gustin
You can read Ayaz’s full memo on Business Insider.
