We’ve been busy keeping up with all the events that have unfolded since Bob Iger took over as Disney CEO.

After it was revealed that Iger signed on for just two years, questions emerged about who exactly would step up to take his place once the clock runs out. And with other executives leaving The Walt Disney Company following former CEO Bob Chapek’s exit, the pool of contenders seems to be getting smaller. But, according to a new report — one Disney executive could be taking the lead. 

It hasn’t been long since Bob Iger took over as CEO of The Walt Disney Company again, and they’re already looking for his replacement. But, that was part of the deal when he signed back on for another two years — get the company back on track and find his successor.

Now that much of the dust has settled surrounding the CEO shake-up, rumors have been swirling about who could potentially replace Iger and be the next leader of this massive company. A new report from Deadline indicates that Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy is a “leading contender” for the role.

According to a “Disney insider,” McCarthy “has always been a force to be reckoned with” and she should be put “on a list of top five possibilities after the last few weeks,” referring to McCarthy leading the charge to go around then-CEO Chapek and raise concerns about his position as CEO to the Board of Directors.

If McCarthy did become Disney CEO, she would be the first female to do so in the history of The Walt Disney Company.

After having been the treasurer of Disney for several years, McCarthy stepped up as CFO in 2015, and was “influential in helping to successfully engineer a string of key mergers, and adept at raising and husbanding cash during the depth of COVID.”

She was reportedly “distraught” by the company’s bottom line and “missteps by Chapek over the last 18 months.” And then, in mid-November, McCarthy went to board chairperson Susan Arnold and threatened to resign if Chapek “was not cut loose immediately.”

But now, it’s Iger who has the job of choosing a successor, and McCarthy is reportedly in the running — along with Disney General Entertainment Content chair Dana Walden. With multiple executive exits in recent years, the pool of contenders is getting smaller, and analysts have called McCarthy “a straight shooter” and “very capable” of being in the role.

“She really shined when the pandemic hit. She did exactly what the CFO should do. She lined up enough cash for one to two years of no revenue. She put together a huge bundle of cash at reasonable rates very quickly to protect the company,” said an analyst.

It was even McCarthy who handled the difficult questions during the company’s most recent earnings call.

Whoever the next CEO ends up being, it’s clear that McCarthy has emerged as a top choice to lead The Walt Disney Company, and it doesn’t seem like she’s going anywhere anytime soon either way. She, along with Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, and Jimmy Pitaro will be restructuring Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution at the direction of Iger.

We’ll continue to keep an eye on this situation and let you know of any updates. Want to learn more about Bob Iger’s return as Disney’s CEO? Check out these posts:

• Is Disney CEO Bob Iger on a Collision Course with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis?
• CEO Bob Iger Reportedly Believed Chapek Was “Killing the Soul” of The Walt Disney Company
• 7 Big Challenges Bob Iger Will Face as Disney’s New CEO
• Why Disney Replaced Bob Chapek With Bob Iger

Keep following DFB for more updates on all the latest Disney news.

Every Major Change Since Bob Iger Returned as Disney CEO 

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Who do you think will take over as The Walt Disney Company CEO? Let us know in the comments!

The post “Top Contender” Emerges to Replace Bob Iger as Disney CEO first appeared on the disney food blog.