Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner Comments on Bob Chapek

The Walt Disney Company has seen several different leaders over the course of its long history. Most recently, we saw a shift in leadership from former CEO Bob Iger to now CEO Bob Chapek.

©Disney || Bob Chapek

Bob Iger officially left Disney on December 31st, 2021, having stepped down from the position of CEO back in February 2020. Bob Chapek has been in the position ever since. But, before the two Bobs, there was CEO Michael Eisner, who was head of The Walt Disney Company for 21 years, from 1984 to 2005. And, Eisner was recently interviewed on CNBC, where he spoke about current CEO Bob Chapek, as well as Bob Iger.

In the interview, Eisner commented on the two CEOs that have succeeded him at the Walt Disney Company, according to Deadline. He talked about Bob Chapek to CNBC, saying, “I am a big fan of Disney. I am a fan of both Bobs. Yes I hired him [Chapek]. Is he the same executive as I am, or Bob [Iger] is, or anybody is? He is his own guy. He was very good at Disney when I was there. He took our home video business from a rental to a sell-through business. That was very risky. He did a very good job in the parks. I am a shareholder. I think he’s going to do very well.”

Bob Chapek

Michael Eisner also commented on former CEO Bob Iger and how he surprisingly stepped down from the position of CEO one year before his contract was over. Eisner said, “We’ve talked about it. Having 50 unanswered emails, and seven scripts you haven’t read and 30 phone calls you haven’t returned…Getting off that treadmill is not a horrible thing.”

©Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

He went on to say, “I think he is interested in writing another book, looking at his opportunities. He is not 25 years old, as I’m not. Between ABC and Disney, he spent many years at one institution. I think he is coming up for air and you will hear about him and things he will be doing and his wife Willow [Bay] will be doing in the future.”

©Disney

Eisner made a comment comparing both CEOs, saying, “There is no loser here. I don’t think the shareholders are losers here, or the consumers are losers here, or certainly either of them,” referring to Iger and Chapek.

Michael Eisner (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Nickelodeon)

He also mentioned the pandemic in his interview with CNBC, talking about how Disney has historically done pretty well. Eisner said, “Bob [Iger] did extremely well. We did OK. I wouldn’t discount Disney. Disney went through…this pandemic. That does change a lot of things. I wouldn’t throw away your Disney tickets to the theme parks quite so early.”

Bob Chapek in Disney World on its 50th Anniversary

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The post Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner Comments on Bob Chapek first appeared on the disney food blog.