Big changes are on the way for the Walt Disney Company.

Bob Iger, the current Chairman of the Disney Company, will be stepping down at the end of this year. His replacement has already been announced, though one media analyst thinks Iger’s time with Disney isn’t over yet. Recently Iger sat down with CNBC and shared some details about why he chose to step down from his CEO role and what he’s got planned for the future.

Chairman of the Disney Company and former CEO, Bob Iger, recently met with David Faber from CNBC for an interview. In talking about leaving Disney Iger told CNBC that he started thinking about stepping down from the CEO position after feeling like he was starting to listen “less and maybe with a little less tolerance of other people’s opinions, maybe because of getting a little bit more overconfident in [his] own.”

Iger shared that he felt like he was invalidating points from others too quickly because he had “heard every argument before.” But as he reflected on the answers he was giving to others, he realized that times change and he was possibly saying “no” to others’ arguments too quickly. Iger said, “I became a little bit more dismissive in other people’s opinions than I should have been…That was an early sign that it was time. It wasn’t the reason I left, but it was a contributing factor.”

Iger stepped down from his CEO position in 2020 but has stayed on as chairman of the company. Iger will step down from that role at the end of 2021, and the individual who will replace him has already been named.

Bob Chapek currently serves as Disney’s CEO, having taken over after Bob Iger stepped down. At one point Iger noted that the world is changing and that it’s important for the CEO of a company to be able to address those changes. Iger shared that Bob Chapek may address those changes differently than he (meaning Iger) would have, but he noted that this difference is neither good nor bad. Overall, Iger said that he generally feels change is good.

One of the biggest aspects of the legacy Iger will leave at Disney is the amount of acquisitions made during his time there. CNBC notes that acquiring Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, and LucasFilm turned Disney “into an intellectual property behemoth.” This was all particularly influential as Disney started its streaming service, and it has continued to prove critical to the streaming service’s success.

Click here to see what Iger said Disney+ needs in order to succeed.

Iger shared that one big reason why he was able to get some of these companies to sell Disney their assets was his focus on creating personal relationships.

He noted that he also had to convince the individuals who were selling their assets that Disney wouldn’t disappoint them once their products were integrated into the Disney brand.

In terms of the future, Iger noted that when “this dream finally ends” and he steps away from the company, it’ll be time for him to have a “blank canvas.” He said his wife has a full-time job and his kids are out of the house, so he’ll be keeping busy. What’s on Iger’s plate? He shared that he’s doing some selective investing, would like the chance to advise those working on startups, plans to write a new book, will likely do some speaking, and then will just see where life takes him.

To see a piece of Iger’s interview, check out the video below.

What’s next for Bob Iger after more than 47 years at Disney? “It’s time for me to have a blank canvas,” he tells @davidfaber. pic.twitter.com/nqbaqJluPQ

— CNBC (@CNBC) December 21, 2021

We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more information from Iger’s interview on CNBC and we’ll update this post. Check back for all the latest Disney news.

Click here to see why one media executive thinks Bob Iger could be returning as Disney’s CEO.

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The post Former Disney CEO Bob Iger Shares Why “It Was Time” for Him to Step Down first appeared on the disney food blog.