Disney’s Next C-Suite Task Is Keeping Dana Walden in the Empire
February 4, 2026
Disney announced its successor to Bob Iger, but what about the exec who didn’t get the top job, Dana Walden? Deb Rubin joins Bloomberg to discuss how an organization can retain its top talent after the decision is made. Deb says, “An internal candidate who is determined to be a CEO and has the resume to match will likely leave if not selected.”
In the interview, Deb also shared how the board can extend the executive’s tenure (and buy time for the new CEO to transition into their role) by doing the following:
- Ensure that communication throughout the process is candid, respectful, and as transparent as possible without over-promising.
- Create a decision making process that is perceived as fair and objective.
- Reach out to the executive as soon as possible after the decision is made, and provide a leadership role that has a significant impact on the business with a compensation package to match
