Disney Names Karandeep Anand as First-Ever Company-Wide Chief Technology Officer

The Walt Disney Company has appointed Karandeep Anand as its first-ever company-wide Chief Technology Officer, creating a new senior leadership position to focus on technology, data and artificial intelligence.

Anand joins Disney after serving as CEO of Character.AI, an online chatbot platform that allows users to interact with artificially created characters. He will report directly to Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro and oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data and AI platforms, product and engineering across the company.

D'Amaro said Anand brings a rare mix of experience in infrastructure, consumer technology and AI, and will be a vital addition to Disney's senior leadership team as it seeks to modernise how it develops and delivers technology. He also praised Anand for his user-first approach and enthusiasm for Disney.

Anand will begin his tenure at Disney on October 2, 2026, and will lead the company-wide technology functions that were previously handled by individual business units. The appointment comes as Disney continues to focus on strengthening its direct relationship with audiences through digital platforms such as Disney+.