Disney’s C.E.O. Race Amid the Great Hollywood Walk-Back

Josh D'Amaro
At a company so clearly terrified of repeating the Ron DeSantis dustup in Florida on a grander scale, Josh D’Amaro is now the safe choice. Photo: Adam Kissick/SXSW Conference & Festivals/Getty Images
Matthew Belloni
October 10, 2025

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“D.E.I. is for everyone now!” So went the first response in my text chain of Disney friends when I asked what they thought of the new human resources overhaul at the company. It was never announced externally, but last week, Sonia Coleman, Disney’s top H.R. executive, sent a companywide email revealing a broad rebrand of her unit and its terminology. A lot of it was the usual silly corporate-speak about the large, publicly traded company’s “people-first philosophy” and “innovative approach to enabling success,” language that likely resulted from dozens of meetings and millions of dollars in consulting fees. “Human Resources becomes People & Culture,” Coleman’s email read. “Talent Acquisition becomes Talent Connection.” And so on.