Under the new structure, distribution and commercialisation activities will be centralised into a single Media and Entertainment Distribution organisation.
The Walt Disney Company has announced a strategic reorganisation of its media and entertainment businesses to further accelerate its Direct-to-Consumer strategy.
Under the new structure, Disney will focus on developing and producing original content for the company’s streaming services, as well as for legacy platforms, while distribution and commercialisation activities will be centralised into a single Media and Entertainment Distribution organisation.
The new organisation will be responsible for all monetisation of content, both distribution and ad sales, and will oversee operations of Disney’s streaming services. It will also have sole P&L accountability for Disney’s media and entertainment businesses.
The creation of content will be managed in three distinct groups, Studios, General Entertainment, and Sports, headed by current leaders Alan F Horn and Alan Bergman, Peter Rice, and James Pitaro.
The Media and Entertainment Distribution group will be headed by Kareem Daniel, formerly President, Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. All five leaders will report directly to CEO Bob Chapek.
Rebecca Campbell will serve as Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer. Bob Iger, in his role as Executive Chairman, will continue to direct the company’s creative endeavours.
Under the new structure, Disney’s three content groups will be responsible and accountable for producing and delivering content for theatrical, linear and streaming, with the primary focus being the company’s streaming services:
With the reorganisation, the Direct-to-Consumer and International business will no longer be managed on a combined basis. In Campbell’s role leading international operations, she will be responsible for coordinating and integrating activities across the various business units in each market to best represent the company’s overall interests and will report to Chapek. In her role leading direct-to-consumer operations for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, she will report to Daniel.
The new structure is effective immediately, and the company expects to transition to financial reporting under this structure in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.
Disney will also hold a virtual Investor Day on December 10, where it will present further details of its direct-to-consumer strategies.
Commenting on the restructuring, Chapek said: “Given the incredible success of Disney+ and our plans to accelerate our direct-to-consumer business, we are strategically positioning our company to more effectively support our growth strategy and increase shareholder value.
“Managing content creation distinct from distribution will allow us to be more effective and nimbler in making the content consumers want most, delivered in the way they prefer to consume it. Our creative teams will concentrate on what they do best, making world-class, franchise-based content, while our newly centralised global distribution team will focus on delivering and monetising that content in the most optimal way across all platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and the coming Star international streaming service.”
On his new role, Daniel said: “I’m honoured to be able to lead this new organisation during such a pivotal and exciting time for our company, and I’m grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunity.
“It’s a tremendous privilege to work with the talented and dedicated teams that will comprise this group, and I look forward to a close collaboration with the outstanding and incredibly successful team of creative content leaders at the company, as together we build on the success we’ve already achieved in our DTC and legacy distribution business.”
