Robert Iger CEO or No?

[figment1986]

Everyone knows eisner will step down.. but he still will have "creative consult" part of the company....

I do want someone who would bring back the great Disney animation era... (remember Little mermaid through about mulan or hunchback.... (i dont haev the order in my heads..) but how the songs help progress the movies... and had to be there... and they became classics... not like atlantis that didn't have one song.... (um.... you may want to hold me down if i find the idea behind that... cause he/she made a bad decision and must be Fired or die....)

[Malin]

I actually think Eisner is when he wants to be is a very creative person.And I hope he does stay on in some capacity after he retires.Eisner is someone who understands what Disney's all about.Sadly while Michael has slipped in his ways over the years,the Disney brand is still strong and has not forgotten its history unlike some other Studios.

Like dlfan I too will be at the Resort on 7/17 and if its ok with you guys I may like to meet up with some of you.May as well while Im in the area.

[MickeyMania]

The perfect CEO is someone who has the ability to trust people which Michael Eisner didn't.
(...)
I think Bob Iger could do it.

Maybe. I think the downfall of Eisner isn't being untrustworthy, it's being unwilling to take positions that may be unpopular. Eisner's been taking the safe route for years with company projects. Did your new idea catch on? Make sequels! Building a theme park? Do what Knott's or Six Flags is doing. Attraction requires inventing something that doesn't exist yet? Forget it!

If Eisner of today took the place of Eisner of yesterday when entering the company, they'd fail in two years.

If Iger's willing to take some risks, then he could pull the company out of it's rut. If not... Well, I don't think he could be any worse than the devil we know, really.

[Dustysage]

I personaly don't feel Eisner should leave Disney. . . . On a happier note I just booked my trip to be at DL on 7/17. Hope to see some of you there--and even more hopefully to see some of you on SM.

Great to have you here dlfan!

It isn't really a question of if Eisner should leave anymore. He has announced that he is stepping down. So now the company must choose a new CEO and possibly Chirman of the Board as well.

On the happier note, we would LOVE to see you. Please stop by the hub at noon. We'll be there! (If that location changes, we'll post it in the Calendar).

[dlfan1313]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here so don't mad at me if I upset anyone or fail to follow proper etique...


I personaly don't feel Eisner should leave Disney. He is not the evil man so many people on this and other Disney boards make him out to be. On a personal level he donates very large amounts of his time and money to worthwhile charities. He is a good man. A kind and giving man. Beyond that his mind for bussiness is unquestionable. Roy and Stanley have their save Disney campaign which has it's pros, and cons but don't forget this is really Save Disney V.2. The first time Roy set out to save Disney he hand selected Eisner to do it. And he did. He did it in 1984 and he did it again more recently with the Comcast take over. (...I still won't allow cable at my house) Every Disney fan owes Eisner a HUGE debt of gratitued for that. He does truly love Disney. He has devoted his life to it for the last 20 years.

He does of course like all of us have his faults. He may be at time a micro-managing jerk but so was Walt. One of his biggest problems is that he doesn't answer to to Disney fans he answers to shareholders. That is his job and he does it extremely well. He also lacks creativity and here in lies his biggest fault. Eisner should not be forced out of Disney he should instead be forced to give some of his power to someone who has a creative vision for the company. I always look at it like this. Eisner is Roy senior, the man behind the genius who made it all happen and happen while still making a profit. All that's missing from the equation is a genius like Walt to come up with those wonderful ideas and revitalize Disney theme parks and animation.
Eisner needs a partner to help guide him in the right direction. When and if he goes I fear that no matter who replaces the Disney company as we know will soon be no longer.

OK just had to get that off my chest. On a happier note I just booked my trip to be at DL on 7/17. Hope to see some of you there--and even more hopefully to see some of you on SM.

[Malin]

The perfect CEO is someone who has the ability to trust people which Michael Eisner didn't.Which resulted in him micro managing Disney's various depts.And its resulted in some really creative people leaving or being forced out of Disney.

I think Bob Iger could do it.The theme parks are really starting to turn around after the Pressler era.And have a really strong management team in place.ABC has also made some positive moves lately which have paid of.Don't know about how he do at running the Studios but he's got a great President in Dick Cook,who's respected by almost everyone.I think all Bob needs to do is be creative and be a strong leader.Someone who is respected by not Wall Street but his company.

And I know Roy Disney doesn't want Bob Iger as CEO but it comes a time when I think we all need to question Roy Disney's intentions when it comes to his Save Disney campaign.I still say give the man a chance.

[MickeyMania]

That's why I say it's hard. I only know about Jobs like I do because I've been an Apple follower for the past few decades as the company's been through it's ups and downs. At the same time, management in this country is getting filled with drones who will let something break so they can save 14 cents. Presslers and Eisners sadly aren't an exception in today's atmosphere, but a rule.

Until he got taken by a radio company in November, Mel Karmazin would have been my pick. Now I'm just waiting to see what comes along.

[Dustysage]

Who would you pick? This is a tough one.

[MickeyMania]

Jobs is the most overrated CEOs in years right now. He's a great salesman (search for the phrase "reality distortion field" sometime) but that's really the extent of it. Apple's cool factor is not because of Jobs, but because of their hardware designers fitting more and more into ever-tinier cases, and their marketing campaigns by Chiat/Day.

At Pixar, I know he does give a little creative input, although he's really busy anymore so I don't know if he still does. The main benefit of Pixar to him prior to the Disney movies was that they were using his NeXT, then Apple, hardware. The company's pictures doubled as a tech demo for the other company.

Jobs is also pretty famous for berating his employees.


While I guess he's a better choice than most since more and more and more of the suits in America are practicing Eisner's bottom-line focused strategy, he wouldn't be my first pick for the mouse.

[The Mad Hatter]

As much as I dislike apple...Steve Jobs is a great visionary, he'd probably make a decent CEO for a company like Disney. They need someone with a huge imagination, heart, and business sense. Disney needs to turn from being the corporate machine it is turning into and go back to its roots. Try to please the families and fans rather than wall street.

[figment1986]

hello no....... What we need is someone who works for the fun of it.. you know how Steve jobs takes little cash... what a dollar a month or day to work as CEO of pixar and Apple... howabout Disney to... Apple can become Disney's official computer in what 8 years... (HP still has a contract..)

Imagine of what he could do with the company....

[Wendy]

Iger has image problems, in a big way. He is seen as either a puppet, or cronie, a wallflower, etc. Nothing that really stands out, and definitely not seen as a strong leader. He's spent too much time kissing the boss's behind to stand out as a viable candidate. People would be very suspicious if he was picked- he's got the stench of Eisner on him.

[mamabot]

Having a puppet CEO (or dictator, if you will) Disney would be not so good for the company. Having a pencil pusher in charge is very bad for the company.

They need to have a balanced team looking out for both the artistic and financial aspects of the company.

Kick out Mikey, bring in Steve Jobs, and the company will be saved. Then Steve can begin the process of repairing all the burned bridges left in Eisner's wake.

[Dustysage]

im frankly shocked that they have spent as much as they have on DL with little return.

I'm shocked that they didn't do more sooner. Neglect has led to deaths on rides, trees falling over in on stage areas, leaky roofs, and god only knows what else that we aren't aware of.

As for little in return. Disneyland was the second most visited park in the world last year.

[Cousin Orville]

True. But the WDC is a business and im frankly shocked that they have spent as much as they have on DL with little return.It's great. Orville thinks Eisner is trying to quickly clean things up and turn everything around so no one would ever want him gone. The company would be doing too well. Basically the whole theme park business model is in the dumps. they need to reinvent the business so it can maintain itself. We love that Matt..

[Evil Minion]

Matt Ouimet is indeed doing a wonderful job of whipping the park back into shape, but he could do even more if the CEO of the Walt Disney Company fully supported him.

[Cousin Orville]

Bob Iger is married to ex CNN reporter and former print model Willow Bay. They have a couple of kids.Dating may be a long shot

If Iger ends up running it you will have business as usual and Eisner as Mini Me. Right now Matt is getting DL into shape and Pressler is gone, so what's not to like?

Be optimistic..someone is painting something somewhere in the park while we read this.. :-)

[Evil Minion]

Iger goes either way? I think I know someone who would like to date him for insider info. :devil:

Only date him if he's married.

:devil:

[KevinYee]

I have zero read on Iger. So does Wall St, best I can tell.

That alone is reason to think the Board may not go with him. Wall St. needs to be comforted. Forget Disney parks. There are billions of dollars of shareholder value at stake here.

[Dustysage]

Iger could go either way, so who knows.

Iger goes either way? I think I know someone who would like to date him for insider info. :devil: