Disney Appoints New Leaders to Drive Streaming Growth

The Walt Disney Company has announced a major restructuring of its entertainment leadership team. Adam Smith, former Co-President of Direct-to-Consumer and Chief Product & Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, has been appointed Chairman of Direct-To-Consumer (DTC). In this role, he will oversee the company's Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) business globally, including driving strategy, development, and innovation across Disney+ and Hulu.

Smith will also be responsible for product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships, and data and analytics. Dana Walden, President & Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company, expressed her excitement about the appointment, saying 'Alan Bergman and I are pleased to recognize the tremendous impact he has had on our direct-to-consumer business since he joined Disney, and we are confident that he is the right leader to meet the critical moment we're in and take us to the next level.'

Joe Earley, former Co-President for Direct-to-Consumer and head of content strategy, has been appointed to a new role - President of Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy. This newly created position will lead the strategic development of Disney Entertainment Television franchises, maximizing their value and creating new opportunities to engage audiences.