Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro Announces Job Cuts, Focusing on Marketing and Brand Teams
Disney CEO Confirms Layoffs Affecting 1,000 Employees
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro has announced layoffs impacting approximately 1,000 employees within the company’s marketing and brand organization. This announcement comes as part of a broader strategy to streamline operations.
In a memo sent to employees on Tuesday, D’Amaro, who succeeded Bob Iger as CEO in February, addressed the challenging circumstances initiating these workforce reductions. “We have experienced a great deal of change these last few years, both at the company and across our industries,” D’Amaro wrote.
Earlier this year, Disney elevated veteran executive Asad Ayaz to Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, aiming to consolidate marketing efforts across film, television, and streaming while eliminating redundancies.
These recent cuts represent a more moderate approach compared to extensive layoffs implemented by Iger shortly after his return as CEO in late 2022. D’Amaro acknowledged the ongoing transformation within Disney and the larger entertainment sector. He emphasized that the layoffs do not reflect the contributions of those being let go or the company’s overall health, but rather a reassessment of resource management and reinvestment strategies.
At the close of the last fiscal year, Disney’s workforce exceeded 230,000, a figure heavily influenced by part-time employees at its theme parks. D’Amaro, who has been with Disney since 1998, most recently led the company’s Experiences division before becoming CEO.
D’Amaro’s full memo is as follows:
Dear Fellow Employees & Cast Members,
We have experienced a great deal of change these last few years, both at the company and across our industries. Knowing firsthand how these moments can bring uncertainty, I want to be open about some difficult news that will be communicated this week.
In January, we announced our unified enterprise marketing and brand organization, designed to serve consumers in an even more connected way. Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney. Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs. As a result, we will be eliminating roles in some parts of the company and have begun notifying impacted employees.
I know this is hard. Those that will be leaving us have done meaningful work here and care deeply about this company. These decisions are not a reflection of their contributions, or of the overall strength of the company. Rather, they reflect our continual evaluation of how to more effectively manage our resources and reinvest in our businesses.
Compassion and respect remain at the heart of our company. As we move forward through this transition, our priority is to support those impacted and help each person navigate what comes next with resources, guidance, and direct support.
Despite these difficult decisions, I remain optimistic about where we’re headed as a company. I’m deeply grateful for all of your contributions and for the dedication, professionalism, and care you bring to your work each day. Even in challenging moments, you continue to demonstrate what makes Disney so special.
Josh
The layoffs come as Disney continues to adjust its operations in response to the evolving landscape of the entertainment industry.
