AceShowbiz - Debra OConnell, the newly appointed chair of Disney Entertainment Television, has finalized her senior leadership team as the company prepares for the official transition of leadership to incoming CEO Josh D'Amaro and chief creative officer Dana Walden. This restructuring follows the handover from former CEO Bob Iger.

Craig Erwich will maintain his role overseeing ABC Entertainment and Hulu Originals, while also taking on the leadership of 20th Television and 20th Television Animation. Reporting to him will be Karey Burke and Marci Proietto. Erwich will report directly to OConnell.

In addition, the heads of Disney Branded Television and National Geographic Content, Ayo Davis and Courteney Monroe respectively, will now report to OConnell. The leaders of ABC News and ABC Owned Television Stations, Almin Karamehmedovic and Chad Matthews, will continue their direct reporting lines to her as well.

Disney Advertising chief Rita Ferro and platform distribution head Jimmy Zasowski will report to OConnell for television operations and to Alan Bergman and Jimmy Pitaro for their respective film and sports divisions. Additionally, Sean Cocchia will have a dual reporting structure to both OConnell and Eric Schrier concerning content strategy.

In a memo to Disney staff, OConnell expressed her appreciation for the company’s talented teams and emphasized her excitement about the future. She said, "One of the greatest privileges of working for The Walt Disney Company is the ability to serve alongside exceptionally talented people across every team and facet of our work. The creativity, innovation and collaboration I've witnessed throughout my nearly three decades with the company continue to inspire me every day." She also highlighted the importance of storytelling and collaboration as the company moves forward under the new leadership.

Alongside OConnell's promotion, Alan Bergman, who recently served as Disney Entertainment co-chair with Walden, will remain chairman of Disney’s studio division. He will oversee all studio operations including production, marketing, and distribution. Both Bergman and Walden will continue to share oversight of the direct-to-consumer (DTC) division.

The DTC unit will be led by co-presidents Joe Earley and Adam Smith, who will share responsibility for strategy and financial performance across Disney+ and Hulu. They will report to Walden and Bergman. Earley will also act as head of content strategy, while Smith will continue as chief product and technology officer for both Disney Entertainment and ESPN. For sports, Smith will report directly to Pitaro.

John Landgraf, chairman of FX, will remain reporting to Walden and continue to oversee Onyx Collective. Eric Schrier will report to Earley, granting the DTC team oversight of the company’s international local originals exclusive to Disney+. Schrier will also manage strategy for alternative content and supervise the television division’s business affairs, production, and labor relations teams.

Disney’s Games and Digital Entertainment division will now be integrated into Disney Entertainment. The division’s executive vice president, Sean Shoptaw, who is also responsible for the collaboration with Epic Games to create a Disney universe linked to Fortnite, will report directly to Walden.

Chief marketing and brand officer Asad Ayaz will report to both Walden and incoming CEO Josh D'Amaro.

The leadership transition will be officially completed on Wednesday when Walden and D'Amaro take over from outgoing CEO Bob Iger. Iger will continue as a senior advisor and board member until his retirement at the end of 2026.

In her internal memo, OConnell thanked Walden for her support and leadership, stating how grateful she is to be part of a team dedicated to creative excellence. She described the new senior leadership team as “an all-star team” and noted that organizational refinements would continue in the coming weeks.

She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to storytelling that connects with audiences worldwide and emphasized the importance of collaboration across studios, networks, and platforms, as well as with the direct-to-consumer division. OConnell concluded her message with a personal mantra to her team: “Work hard, play smart and throw kindness like confetti.”

This reorganization signals Disney Entertainment’s drive to strengthen its television content leadership and unify its creative and distribution strategies as the company embarks on a new chapter under the stewardship of Josh D'Amaro and Dana Walden.