The Complicated Legacy of Bob Iger

bob iger
When Iger took the helm in 2005, one of his first moves was to purge the powerful strategic-planning department—“a hated group inside Disney,” one company veteran remembered—and redistribute power through the organization. Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Kim Masters
February 9, 2026

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It might seem a little early to take a swing at assessing Bob Iger’s legacy—he’s still Disney C.E.O. for (checks watch…) about five more weeks and will remain on the board until the end of the year. But as the Iger era essentially ended last week with the promotion of Josh D’Amaro, I canvassed some Disney veterans for their thoughts on the outgoing chief executive’s time at the top. There were a few takeaways—notably, that Iger’s biggest mistake has, in one important respect, inadvertently tied his successor’s hands at a critical moment. Only time will tell whether his errors eventually overshadow his achievements, or vice versa.