This year we are taking a look at who the most valuable players are for The Walt Disney Company for 2021 and beyond. Back in 2019, I did this same exact article and a lot has changed since then but there are a few things that remain the same.
Let’s dive into it.
Bob Chapek
Whether you love, hate, or are indifferent about Chapek. There is no denying he is currently one of the most valuable players to The Walt Disney Company and its future. I mean he’s the CEO after all.
Chapek took over in 2020 but 2021 showed that he wasn’t afraid to take the wheel and reshape Disney in his image. He hired some people from outside the Mouse House including former BP exec Geoff Morell and former Spotify exec Horatio Gutierrez.
Chapek’s strategy for Disney includes two main divisions one for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products and the other Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution. Chapek has stated the company’s goal is to fuel Disney+. The effort to put Disney+ over everything has even led to lawsuits like Scarlett Johansson’s. But nevertheless, Chapek’s strategy for Disney will be interesting to watch play out.
Kevin Feige
Disney’s most important and valuable employee. Feige oversees Disney’s most popular and lucrative property. Feige and Co kept Disney+ filled with original content such as WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If…?, and Hawkeye along with more minor Disney+ shows like Assembled and Marvel Legends.
On the theatrical side, Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Eternals, and now Spider-Man: No Way Home have proven to be successful critically and financially. Marvel owns five of the top six spots at the domestic box office.
Feige and Marvel Studios remain pivotal to The Walt Disney Company.
Kareem Daniel
Daniel runs the distribution side of Disney. Daniel and his team determine what goes where. A job that used to be done by studio heads within The Walt Disney Company now falls on Daniel and his team. Prime examples of this system include DMED’s decision to make Black Widow in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access, Luca straight to Disney+, Shang-Chi and Eternals to theaters, and Encanto to theaters but with a shorter window and a quicker arrival to Disney+.
Daniel is a valuable player to Disney and its entire distribution and streaming strategy. His purview includes streaming services, linear TV channels, theatrical distribution, and advertising sales.
Josh D’Amaro
Josh D’Amaro is the well-liked Chairman for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.
D’Amaro gets to lead Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products in the post-pandemic era. D’Amaro’s focus has shifted towards more inclusion in the parks which includes rethemes of attractions such as Jungle Cruise and Splash Mountain.
But due to the pandemic, we haven’t seen what else D’Amaro is capable of on the park’s side besides implementing the FastPass replacement and AI vacation tool — Disney Genie (which comes with a cost). With Disney Genie and Lightning Lane, it still remains to be seen if the offering sticks and gets over with Disney guests.
Over on the products side, D’Amaro and his team have secured relationships with the likes of Amazon, Snap, and Target. DPEP also continues to close Disney Store in favor of building its e-commerce platform shopDisney and its store-within-a-store locations at Target. Another related strategy being pushed by D’Amaro and the DPEP team is Disney’s push to create “a theme park metaverse.”
Here is hoping in 2022 we get clearer details on D’Amaro’s parks and experiences strategy specifically. I hope to see at D23 2022, D’Amaro announces some of the projects he gave the green light to and share his big goals for the parks.
D’Amaro remains valuable to the company and is easily a frontrunner to succeed Chapek or perhaps be Chapek’s Chief Operating Officer if duty calls.
Barbara Bouza
Bouza ascended to President of Walt Disney Imagineering this year. She’s one of Disney’s most valuable players as she will oversee Imagineering’s move to Lake Nona and the next era of Imagineering projects.
Bouza joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 2020 during a turbulent time. Before WDI Bouza previously served as co-managing director, principal, of Gensler Los Angeles. Where she brought strategic design management to clients such as Netflix, Amgen, JPL/NASA, Debbie Allen, and City of Hope. She was the 2019 (AIA) American Institute of Architects Los Angeles president.
Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter
Both Jennifer Lee and Pete Docter have helped Disney’s creative pipeline and more is on the way. Despite challenges, Lee and Docter have created some incredible work at Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar respectively.
Lee’s studio released Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto in 2021. While Docter’s Pixar released Luca. 2022 is big for Pixar as it will release Turning Red and Lightyear whereas Disney Animation will release Strange World.
Although Lee and Docter will continue to have to see where their films fit in with Chapek/Daniel’s Disney+ strategy. So the future of Disney animated films getting a theatrical run is a concern. But Lee and Docter’s consistent work at their respective studios makes them extremely valuable to The Walt Disney Company.
Potential MVP’s for Disney next year:
Zach Perilstein is the Editor-in-Chief of the Boardwalk Times
