Disney’s Bob Iger Calls Bob Chapek His Biggest Mistake.


Various stories yesterday and today echoing that headline.

This is starting to look like when Jack Welch fumbled succession at GE and handed the reins of an American icon to a less-competent egomaniac at a time when more diligence, more integrity, and more competence was needed. Jeff Immelt flew that company from 37000 feet to the bottom of the ocean. The big difference is that Iger hasn't unbolted the wings and taken them with him the way Welch did.

Chapek is getting big support from enough of the board to cause them to grant him a big extension, bonus, and raise, apparently as a splashy show of confidence in the face of criticism.

But they're getting sued over it by Abigail Disney, who isn't without influence. And I think the public and share base also have the knives out for him for various reasons.

He's in the red in terms of inspiring confidence himself. Will he be able to keep the boat afloat in a choppy economic sea? Will he attempt something risky and punch a(nother) hole in the hull? Does he know why it's odd that Goofy is Mickey's friend but Pluto is only a pet?

Are raw numbers going to buoy the stock, or will Chapek need to jump ship before his contact is up?


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