Bob Iger’s tallest order at Disney: preparing his own replacement
But first, he’ll have to find one.
Bob Iger, who left Disney last month to become president of World Wide Technology and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, is planning to create his own replacement for outgoing chief executive officer, Michael Eisner. As in, he will create his own person for that job and then hire him.
This is Bob’s highest-ranking “big picture” priority right now, said a Disney source close to Iger’s thinking. He is still thinking about how to run Disney and the media business in general, but his first step towards it is clear: creating a new person.
Iger is going to make sure he has one, Disney sources say, and he’s going to recruit the best candidate possible.
“He is not going to be satisfied with anyone at the moment,” said one Disney insider. “He wants someone with Disney’s experience and expertise, preferably someone from the Disney TV division.”
Iger is still discussing with Eisner and the “other Eisners” exactly how he’ll replace him, said one Disney source. His goal is to be as thorough as he can be, and then put his replacement in place as he finishes up his job at WDW.
Eisner is scheduled to take over Disney at 5 p.m. (PST), or 3:30 p.m. (ET) if he is traveling. He has the privilege of a personal meeting with Iger at noon, and Iger will have lunch at Disney’s Coronado Springs Hotel.
After that, Iger is expected to begin setting up his new position. Disney sources expect him to be in Burbank for the rest of the day, talking to potential candidates. That’s why he wants to start making his first choice now, and it’s why he’s going to make sure that the person he selects is the perfect fit.
There will be a lot of interviews, Iger is expected to have people of his choosing come meet with him.
He will interview in his room at the Coronado and in front of his personal security people. They will be making sure that he is able to make decisions on his own.
Iger wants to take his interview process seriously and will have people of his choosing come to his Coronado, or wherever he chooses to do the interviews.
The Iger who will