The Walt Disney Company has elected new CEO Bob Chapek to its board of directors, the company announced Wednesday.
“Bob Chapek has demonstrated remarkable leadership in the face of unprecedented challenges that were unimaginable when he became CEO just seven weeks ago, and we’ve watched him navigate this very complex situation with decisiveness and compassion,” said Susan Arnold, independent lead director of the Disney board, and Disney executive chairman Bob Iger in a joint statement. “We are pleased to add Bob to the Board, as we stated we would when he was named CEO.”
The eventual addition of Chapek to Disney’s board of directors was outlined in a Feb. 24 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that noted that the executive’s employment deal “provides for Mr. Chapek to be elected as a member of the Board at a time to be determined by the Board and to be nominated for re-election to the Board during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer.”
Prior to his elevation to CEO, Chapek served as chairman of Disney’s parks, experiences and products division for two years, and was chairman of parks and resorts since 2015.