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Who Is Dana Walden? All About The Businesswoman As She Enters Race To Become Potential Disney CEO
Although Dana Walden has proved herself as a TV executive, a few former Disney executives question whether her resume suits the top job.
Those who are familiar with the Disney situation claim that Dana Walden is a candidate to succeed Bob Iger as Disney CEO. If this happens then no doubt it will be a milestone and why not? In Disney's 100-year history, Walden would be the first female CEO if she gets selected. CNBC has already interviewed over 20 friends and coworkers regarding her advantages, disadvantages, and the possibility that she will succeed in Iger. So, who is Dana Walden? Read on to find out.
Who is Dana Walden?
American businesswoman Dana Walden, who co-chairs Disney Entertainment, was born in 1964. She is a member of the President's Export Council at the moment. Walden was the chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group, which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products, and the syndication provider, 20th Television, before her employment at Disney Entertainment. Walden oversaw entertainment as chairman of Walt Disney Television.
Walden succeeded Peter Rice as Chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content on June 9, 2022. Born in 1964, Dana Walden is an American businesswoman and co-chair of Disney Entertainment. At the time, she was a President's Export Council member. Before Walden joined Disney Entertainment, she was chairman and CEO of Fox Television Group, which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, Fox 21 Television Studios, Fox Consumer Products, and the syndication company 20th Television. As the head of Walt Disney Television, Walden was in charge of programming.
Walden is a married mother of two kids. Brentwood, Los Angeles, is her home. Her grandmother, Rose Freedman, lived to be 107 years old and survived the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. 2015 saw Walden recognised as MIPCOM's Personality of the Year. She was awarded "Executive of the Year" by The Hollywood Reporter and "Showman of the Year" by Variety in 2019. Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business presented Walden with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Peter Chernin, the president of 20th Century Fox Filmed Entertainment at the time and subsequently the president and chief operating officer of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., was the executive who made the initial appearance. Chernin hired Walden for a TV position after she was taken out of Fox's corporate communications department. Those familiar with the process say that in 2024, the executive is Disney CEO Bob Iger, and the role he is considering Walden for is that of his successor. With the appointment, Walden would become the Walt Disney Company's first female CEO in its 100-year history.
In her first year as a publicity employee at 20th Century Fox, Walden gave an impactful presentation at a business retreat in Santa Barbara, California. After multiple meetings with Chernin, the chairman and CEO of The Chernin Group's investment business, she was eager to make a lasting impression on him. Walden chose to act daringly to grab his attention. She informed Chernin and other Fox executives that they needed to pursue better talent aggressively. Walden contended that Fox needs to take more significant risks to forge connections and produce shows that might be picked up by syndication. A Walden representative verified the presentation's specifics.
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Is Dana the next CEO of Disney?
According to those familiar with the matter, who wished to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the talks, Walden, the co-chair of Disney Entertainment, is in internal competition to be named the company's next CEO alongside Josh D'Amaro, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and Alan Bergman. Despite their lack of inside knowledge of the selection process and potential bias due to their close relationship with Walden, several Disney executives privately told CNBC that they think the 59-year-old Walden is the front-runner for the top position.
Her success as a TV executive, trustworthiness among Disney board members, closeness with Iger (she lives meters from his house in Brentwood, California), and the symbolism around what it would mean to have a female executive all work to her advantage. In an interview, Chernin declared, "She's the single best talent executive to come out of TV in the last 20 years." Roth said, "She would make a fantastic CEO who is outstanding in every way."
Those who support Walden dismiss criticism from former coworkers at Disney as the lingering effects of resentment towards Fox employees who joined Disney as part of the $71 billion purchase of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019 or possibly as a covert attempt to hurt Walden's chances of becoming CEO in favor of their preferred candidates. Chernin further states, "Everyone running anything was something before that at some point. Whoever they select won't have held the position of CEO of Disney before that."
Walden began her career as an assistant and receptionist at the public relations firm Bender, Goldman & Helper after receiving her degree from the University of Southern California. She became a vice president in four years. She worked as a representative for her client Paramount at Bender, The Arsenio Hall Show. Walden was taken advantage of by the show and hired as the head of marketing for Hall's production firm. In less than a year, Lucie Sulhany, the head of Paramount Domestic Television, accepted a position as a senior executive at Fox TV. In order to create more engaging TV shows, Walden joined her after she invited him to help her in her PR endeavors.
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