New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

[beejers]

Nikki Finke on Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Rasulo is no longer going to be Chairman of Parks and Resorts. Before we all start rejoicing, he is moving over to be CFO of the company. In an interesting job switch, he is swapping places with current SVP/CFO Tom Staggs.

Curiouser and Curiouser...

ADMIN EDIT
Info from LA Times added -

Disney's CFO Tom Staggs and Disney parks chief Jay Rasulo to flip jobs

Tom Staggs, the highly regarded chief financial officer of Walt Disney Co. and close associate to Disney CEO Bob Iger, is trading places with Jay Rasulo, the head of Disney's parks and resorts business.

Iger orchestrated the surprise job swap to afford both executives "greater breadth and depth of experience," according to a company insider.
Disney is releasing third quarter results today after the market closes.

Both executives are longtime Disney vets, who each began their careers at the Mouse House in strategic planning.

More at: Company Town | Disney's CFO Tom Staggs and Disney parks chief Jay Rasulo to flip jobs | Los Angeles Times


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[Eagleman]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

What that all means?

[stitchrulz]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Is this a good thing? I'm not familiar with the structure of large corporations. All I know is that I am not a Rasulo fan...
LA Times is saying the same thing: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...flip-jobs.html

[beejers]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Heres the link to Nikki's piece:

EXCLUSIVE: DISNEY’S BIG JOB SWITCH; CFO Tom Staggs Moving Over To Theme Parks, Theme Parks Chairman Rasulo Moving Over To CFO – Deadline.com

Just the latest in the executive chess game thats been going on since Dick Cook "stepped down"

[Eagleman]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Is this a good thing? I'm not familiar with the structure of large corporations. All I know is that I am not a Rasulo fan...
LA Times is saying the same thing: Disney's CFO Tom Staggs and Disney parks chief Jay Rasulo to flip jobs | Company Town | Los Angeles Times

I wanted see him GO GO GO Gone!

[mycroft16]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Not sure how I feel about J.R. being the SVP/CFO.

greater breadth and depth of experience

~Bob Iger

I wonder if that is code for something or the actual plan.

Anyone have info on Tom Staggs?

[caesarboxfan]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Anyone have info on Tom Staggs?

Here's his Executive Biography on Disney's corporate website:

The Walt Disney Company - Thomas O. Staggs Executive Biography

[WestsideCM99]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

I'm trying to wrap my head around this..

The Parks and Resorts Chairman becomes the CFO and the CFO becomes the Parks and Resorts Chairman?

I also thought that it was interesting that both of these guys started out at Disney as Strategic Planners.

Should we assume that nothing is going to change from this move, or should a noticeable shift in what we see in the parks/resorts be anticipated?

[Dustysage]

Jay Rasulo To Leave Parks For CFO Position!

The LA Times is reporting that Jay Rasulo will become the Disney Company CFO and current CFO Tom Staggs will become head of Disney Parks and Resorts.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this right now, but in my business experience, a finance guy taking over operations is rarely a good thing for innovation. But I don't know enough about Tom Staggs to make that assessment at this time.

Would love to hear from those of you more familiar with him.

Los Angeles Times | Nov. 12, 2009

Disney's CFO Tom Staggs and Disney parks chief Jay Rasulo to flip jobs

Tom Staggs, the highly regarded chief financial officer of Walt Disney Co. and close associate to Disney CEO Bob Iger, is trading places with Jay Rasulo, the head of Disney's parks and resorts business.

Iger orchestrated the surprise job swap to afford both executives "greater breadth and depth of experience," according to a company insider.
Disney is releasing third quarter results today after the market closes.

Both executives are longtime Disney vets, who each began their careers at the Mouse House in strategic planning.

More at: Company Town | Disney's CFO Tom Staggs and Disney parks chief Jay Rasulo to flip jobs | Los Angeles Times

RT @MiceChat Jay Rasulo out as head of Disney Parks and Resorts, current Disney CFO to replace him. Jay Rasulo To Leave Parks For CFO Position! - MiceChat

[whitestrat]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Here's his Executive Biography on Disney's corporate website:

The Walt Disney Company - Thomas O. Staggs Executive Biography

At first glance it appears to be all business, sharp pencils and no creative experience.(That we know of)
Let's hope for something more than flash pasteurization of the theme parks, and the ever growing cheapening of the guest experience.

[beejers]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

The one line from the bio that has me a bit concerned is, "He also led the Company's efforts to drive greater cost and capital efficiency throughout the organization."

I hope his approach isn't going to be one of cost control in the name of profitability.

I understand the need for that in business, but I don't want to see it adversely affect the Park and Resort experience.

I will reserve judgement until I know more about him...then I will judge him mercilessly.

[flynnibus]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

it should be noted that JR's new role is that at TWDC level.. not the parks and resorts division. So he's basically out of the Park's division, but an overlord still at the financial side of the company.

Chairman of the P&R division isn't an 'operations' role either... but having a pure business focused guy as the head of the division really doesn't do much to 'save' the division from lack of creative focus.

[Morrigoon]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

From caesarboxfan's link (company biography of Tom Staggs):

Staggs was recently named one of America's best CFOs and the top CFO in the Entertainment Industry by Institutional Investor Magazine.

So... they're taking him out of the role?

(and as an unrelated aside... ooh, Staggs is kinda hot!)

[Dustysage]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

The one line from the bio that has me a bit concerned is, "He also led the Company's efforts to drive greater cost and capital efficiency throughout the organization."

Sounds very Paul Pressler to me. Let's hope that he realizes that much of the fat has already been wrung out of the Disney parks and they are actually starting to suffer from noticeable cut backs.

If they start laying off Imagineers in mass quantities again, we'll know what he was really brought on to do.

[Ghostbuster626]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Tom Staggs will make you WISH paul pressler was still in charge.

[HMF]

The good news and the bad

The good news is Jay Rasulo is no longer chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. The bad news is former CFO Tom Staggs is the new chairman. Expect a lot of cost-cutting
Two Disney Executives Will Switch Jobs - Media Decoder Blog - NYTimes.com

[Eagleman]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Sound like there goes our park's!

[flynnibus]

Re: The good news and the bad

being discussed here..
http://micechat.com/forums/disney-bu...-resort-2.html

[beejers]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

The press Release from WDC:

The Walt Disney Company and Affiliated Companies - Corporate Press Releases - November 12, 2009

[Ride Warrior]

re: New Chairman of Parks and Resort (Merged Threads)

Sounds very Paul Pressler to me. Let's hope that he realizes that much of the fat has already been wrung out of the Disney parks and they are actually starting to suffer from noticeable cut backs.

If they start laying off Imagineers in mass quantities again, we'll know what he was really brought on to do.

Agreed. In terms of creativity, Staggs potentially sounds to be a Pressler type. Hopefully, Staggs will prove us wrong ..at least to a small degree. He's bound to have considerably more heart than Paul.

Apparently, Rasulo is moving into position to affect the budgeting process of the entire company. Good news is that he will no longer be able to concentrate his "magic" on reaking financial havok on the theme park devision to anywhere near the degree he is accostomed to. I'm good with the news.