What Bob Iger Can Do that Bob Chapek Couldn’t

The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors probably had a multitude of reasons for choosing to bring Bob Iger back as CEO.

After successfully serving as leader of Disney for 15 years, Iger stepped down, naming Bob Chapek as his successor. It wasn’t quite smooth sailing for Chapek after that, leading to where we are today. Iger is back, and it’s because there’s something he can do that Bob Chapek couldn’t. 

Bob Iger is widely regarded by both fans and experts as a hugely successful Disney CEO. From 2005 to 2020 — when Iger was CEO the first time around — the company acquired Pixar, Fox, and Marvel, expanded the connection to the Star Wars franchise, and revamped Disney parks too. With so much success, it’s no wonder the Disney board would ask him to return.

Iger has been tasked with setting “the strategic direction for renewed growth and to work closely with the Board in developing a successor to lead the Company” over the two years he’s signed on. But Iger has chosen a successor before, and reportedly later expressed regret for his choice.

This successor, of course, was now-former CEO Bob Chapek — who has cut ties with Disney. According to reports, Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy threatened to resign from Disney if Chapek was not removed from the company.

After becoming CEO in 2020, Chapek quickly had to face unprecedented issues caused by the global pandemic, legal issues with Marvel stars, political battles, employee walkouts, and more. Experts believed, “Some of the tumult was of Chapek’s own making.”

Fans turned against Chapek for unpopular changes made at the Disney theme parks including the introduction of the Park Pass Reservation system, the new paid FastPass+ replacement Genie+, price increases, and the removal of Disney’s Magical Express.

But overall, The Walt Disney Company was still profitable under Chapek, and it’s not like price increases never happened under Iger’s first run as CEO — so what gives?

It all comes down to perception, and that it’s not always what you say — but how you say it. Chapek was viewed by many fans as being more concerned about numbers and profits than bringing the “magic” back to Disney. Iger on the other hand, was welcomed back to Disney with open arms after years of being popular with fans and “rank-and-file workers” (Bloomberg).

Chapek also faced backlash for how he handled the Black Widow lawsuit, with some accusing the company of being sexist. And then, when Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Bill (called the “Don’t Say Gay” law by critics) hit the spotlight, Chapek tried to keep Disney out of it by saying it wouldn’t take a position.

This didn’t bode well for Chapek, and employees planned a walkout in protest. In response, Chapek recanted his previous statement and shared that Disney opposed the bill. But, this dissidence caused another problem for Chapek and Disney — they caught the ire of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who voted to strip Disney of its special tax status.

Because of these missteps, along with Disney+ hemorrhaging money, Chapek had to go.

In contrast, Iger publicly stated early on that he opposed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, sharing that “a lot of these issues are not necessarily political. It’s about right and wrong.” He said that the bill “seemed potentially harmful to kids,” and so he thought it needed to be addressed publicly.

When asked about facing these kinds of problems in an interview with Deadline, Iger said, “The filter that I used to determine whether we should or should not weigh in considered a few factors. What would its impact have on our employees, on our shareholders, and our customers? And if any one of those three constituencies had a deep interest in or would be affected by whatever was the matter at hand, then it was something I thought we should consider weighing in on.”

Since returning as CEO, Iger hosted an employee town hall meeting and shared, “I think there’s a misperception here about what politics is.” He continued saying, “Some of the subjects that have been proven to be controversial as it relates to Disney have been branded political, and I don’t think they are.”

Iger has had more experience handling tough situations as a leader, and knows what to say when addressing employees, investors, and fans alike. His charisma has helped him to be able to manage public relations nightmares while still leading Disney to a profitable place.

It’s also worth mentioning that not a ton of major changes have taken place since Iger has been back, so how fans and experts will react once something big does happen remains to be seen.

Chapek knew how to be successful and increase profits in the Disney parks, but when it came to complex issues he didn’t have the experience or tact to bring the company together. According to reports, Chapek didn’t take the time to get to know Disney employees, whereas Iger did.

What sort of challenges lie ahead for Disney while Iger is in charge over the next two years is anyone’s guess, though with a recession potentially looming we may find out sooner than later. But, his swift action to set up a meeting with employees where they could voice concerns about the change and expectations going forward is a good sign that the charismatic Iger has returned.

To learn more about Bob Iger’s return to Disney, read more in our articles below:

• Why Bob Iger Replaced Bob Chapek As Disney CEO
• Disney SEC Filing Reveals CEO Bob Iger’s New Salary
• “Welcome back to Disney” — What Everyone Is Saying About Bob Iger’s Return as CEO
• Why Bob Iger’s Return to Disney May Be Doomed From the Start

Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest Disney news and updates.

Everything That’s Happened Since Bob Iger Took Over as Disney CEO

Do you think Bob Iger will be successful the second time around? Let us know in the comments!