The former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Weiss, has shared a statement of support for CEO Bob Iger during the ongoing proxy fight against Trian Partners’ Nelson Peltz and Blackwells Capital.
Bob Weiss Voices Support for Bob Iger
In a post shared to his personal Instagram account, Weiss, shared the following statement alongside a photo of Iger with Darth Vader and two Stormtroopers:
I have been in this business for almost four decades. Bob Iger is a mentor and guiding North Star for me.
Disney exists because of a synergy between story and art and place making and experience and quality. Weave those together and they form a successful business plan, because people have a high expectation, and an emotional connection that needs to be respected, fostered and expanded.
As Walt himself said, “we keep moving forward.” Bob Iger has kept us moving forward by investing in talent and ideas, respecting the past but insisting on an innovative future, and being willing to experiment even when the odds sometimes look tough.
Without this level of leadership grounded in storytelling, experience, art, talent recognition and moving ahead, it’s a rudderless ship; enormous potential with no ability to steer. I was grateful for each meeting I had with Bob, however challenging he might have been with us, and I remain grateful the company I care so much about continues under his steady hand. He makes it look easy—but no one should make the mistake of thinking it is.
Bob Weiss, former president, Walt Disney Imagineering
Weiss is the latest name to show support for Iger amid The Walt Disney Company’s proxy fights with Trian and Blackwells. Just yesterday, the creator of “Star Wars” and founder of Lucasfilm George Lucas expressed support for the CEO. Disney has also received support from Walt and Roy Disney’s grandchildren, proxy advisory company Glass Lewis, and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
Trian nominated Peltz and former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo for Disney’s Board of Directors, and shared in a white paper of recommendations for the company that “Disney’s strategic missteps and declining financial performance can be laid at the feet of its Board, which we believe lacks focus, alignment and accountability.”
Blackwells had their own nominations for the Disney Board: former Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal executive Jessica Schell, Tribeca Film Festival co-founder Craig Hatkoff, and TaskRabbit founder Leah Solivan. Their suggestions for the company included increasing its use of artificial intelligence.
In various materials from VoteDisney.com, the company has urged its shareholders to only vote for its recommended board nominees and not those from Trian or Blackwells. The results of the vote will be announced during Disney’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 3, 2024.
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