Disney Intensifies Layoffs Under D'Amaro with Hundreds More Job Cuts

Disney's cost-cutting measures continue under CEO Josh D'Amaro, who has intensified layoffs across various departments. Following his March takeover from Bob Iger, D'Amaro eliminated around 1,000 roles in April, with marketing teams and corporate operations bearing the brunt of the cuts.

The latest round of layoffs affects a couple of hundred employees, concentrated mainly in shared corporate functions such as technology and human resources. This is smaller than previous rounds, but still significant given the company's efforts to reduce costs.

Disney Entertainment Television and the motion picture studio are reportedly exempt from this round, with the cuts falling predominantly outside core film and television operations. The layoffs arrive after a memo from Disney's chief legal and global affairs officer, Horacio Gutierrez, warned employees that his division would undergo significant changes to automate workflows and reduce staffing.

Gutierrez' September 18 memo outlined plans for automation, self-service systems, alternative legal providers, and outsourcing certain work. He stated the transformation would require 'hard choices' around staffing and investment, which will impact a department with fewer than 1,000 employees worldwide.