AceShowbiz - Dana Walden, the newly appointed President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company as of Wednesday, has introduced the updated leadership framework for Disney Entertainment. Her announcement came in the form of a detailed memo outlining significant structural changes within the company’s entertainment divisions.

Previously overseeing television and co-managing direct-to-consumer operations alongside Disney’s film chief Alan Bergman, Walden now expands her responsibilities to include film and the Games and Digital Entertainment sectors. These latter departments were formerly managed by incoming CEO Josh D’Amaro but will now be integrated under Disney Entertainment, with Sean Shoptaw reporting directly to Walden.

Alan Bergman and Sean Shoptaw are part of Walden’s newly formed leadership team, which also includes Debra OConnell, John Landgraf, Joe Earley, and Adam Smith. This team reports directly to Walden, reflecting a streamlined chain of command.

There had been speculation about whether Bergman would remain Chairman of Disney Entertainment Studios under Walden’s expanded role. It has been confirmed that he will, continuing to collaborate closely with her and sharing oversight of the Direct-to-Consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu.

As Walden broadens her scope as President and CCO, questions also arose about potential promotions among her senior executives to simplify the organizational hierarchy. The announcement confirmed that Debra OConnell, formerly President of ABC News Group & Disney Entertainment Networks, will take on the newly created role of Chairman of Disney Entertainment Television.

In this capacity, OConnell will oversee all television brands, including ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content, and the creative direction for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. She will also maintain her current responsibilities for ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations.

This restructuring slightly affects John Landgraf, who remains Chairman of FX and continues reporting directly to Walden. However, he will no longer oversee National Geographic, a brand added to his portfolio in 2023. This change aligns with National Geographic’s recent withdrawal from original scripted programming, an area of expertise more central to Landgraf and his team.

There will also be adjustments within Disney Television Studios. Eric Schrier, President of Disney Television Studios, will now report to Joe Earley, who previously reported directly to Walden. This shift reflects a strategic alignment of content strategy under Earley’s leadership.

Joe Earley and Adam Smith will serve as Co-Presidents of the Direct-to-Consumer division, both reporting to Walden. Earley oversees content strategy for Disney’s streaming services, while Smith continues as Chief Product and Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, reporting to ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. Their equal standing underscores the importance of technology in Disney’s streaming ambitions.

The memo does not mention another former direct report of Walden, Craig Erwich, President of Disney Television Group. However, given OConnell’s expanded role, it is likely that Erwich will now report to her, although this has not been officially confirmed. An update indicates that OConnell has named her direct reports, including Erwich, who will add oversight of 20th Television and 20th Television Animation while continuing to lead ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, relinquishing responsibilities for Disney Branded Television.

Asad Ayaz remains Disney’s Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, reporting to both Walden and D’Amaro.

Reflecting on the changes, Walden emphasized the emotional connection Disney’s stories have with their audiences. She expressed enthusiasm about uniting the company’s creative divisions to deliver a richer, more connected experience across multiple platforms, including Disney+, theatrical releases, and digital games. She also highlighted the excitement of collaborating with new CEO Josh D’Amaro as the company transitions into this new phase.

The memo sent to Disney employees details the restructuring:

“Team, This is a momentous week for the company, as Josh becomes our new CEO, and I want to thank Bob for his remarkable leadership and the strong foundation he leaves for all of us. I'm incredibly excited to work with Josh and an extraordinary group of leaders to build on all our recent success as we begin this new chapter together.”

“As I step into my new role, I'm pleased to share the new structure of Disney Entertainment, which integrates our games business together with our streaming, film, and television teams, aligning Disney's world-class creative engines and platforms. Fans today want to engage with Disney's storytelling and characters in a multitude of ways - whether on Disney+, in theaters, or through the digital games they love to play. With this unified approach, Disney can deliver the world's most beloved entertainment to fans across the many ways they choose to enjoy it.”

“My leadership team for Disney Entertainment is as follows:

Alan Bergman, as Chairman of Disney Entertainment Studios, will continue overseeing all aspects of our industry-leading film studios including production, marketing, and distribution. Together with Bob, Alan has played a central role in the success of our film business, which produced three billion-dollar films in the last year alone and has led the global box office for nine out of the past 10 years. Alan's steady and visionary leadership will continue to guide these efforts going forward.”

“Alan and I will maintain oversight of Disney+ and Hulu, which will be led by Joe Earley and Adam Smith as Co-Presidents of Direct to Consumer. Joe and Adam will share responsibility for strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu, enabling a more unified approach to content and partnership strategy, product, and technology. Joe, who also will serve as Head of Content Strategy for DTC, and Adam, who continues as Chief Product and Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, have done an exceptional job helping to shape and grow our streaming business, and they bring a powerful combination of creative, strategic, and technological expertise to this next phase for Disney+ and Hulu.”

“Eric Schrier, who has done terrific work building out our local originals slate, will now report to Joe. This puts our international local originals, which are exclusive to Disney+, inside our DTC organization, enabling a more effective international content strategy. Eric will also oversee the strategy for alternative forms of content and maintain oversight of television Business Affairs, Production, and Labor Relations.”

“Debra OConnell has been named Chairman of Disney Entertainment Television. I'm thrilled that Debra will be taking on this newly created role, overseeing our television brands, including ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content, and the creative strategy for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. She will also continue to oversee ABC News and the ABC Owned Television Stations.”

“John Landgraf, Chairman of FX, will continue reporting directly to me, and maintain oversight of Onyx Collective. Under John's leadership, FX has become one of the industry's most prestigious and critically acclaimed brands, delivering shows that consistently shape the cultural conversation - most recently with the breakout success of Love Story.”

“Sean Shoptaw, EVP, Games and Digital Entertainment, and his organization are moving from Disney Experiences to Disney Entertainment, with Sean reporting to me.”

The restructuring marks a strategic realignment of Disney’s entertainment divisions, emphasizing collaboration across film, television, streaming, and gaming to enrich fan engagement and storytelling power. With Walden at the helm of this integrated approach, supported by a strong leadership team, Disney aims to continue its dominant position in global entertainment for years to come.