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Robert Iger

Senior Advisor & Director, Walt Disney Company (The)

Search every verified Robert Iger interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Bob Iger, former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company and current senior advisor and director at the company, discussed his career and legacy in recent public appearances. During a conversation with ABC News' Robin Roberts, Iger reflected on his tenure, saying he had the opportunity to grow and strengthen Disney and "hand it off to a successor in a very healthy state," adding that he believes he "did some good." He also commented on his involvement in the development of the Perelman Performing Arts Center, noting that Mike Bloomberg's vision for the World Trade Center site included using art and culture as a means of demonstrating resilience. Iger is set to be recognized as the 2026 PAC NYC Icon of Culture. In a separate interview with former Harvard Business School dean Nitin Nohria, Iger discussed leadership lessons, including his early decision to address faltering Disney Animation by bringing in Pixar. He said the company was "stuck in neutral" because it had no solutions despite knowing there was a problem. Iger also described his return as CEO for a second time, noting the challenge of leading with a short-term mandate while deciding whether to focus on immediate results or long-term strategy. He said that in choosing a successor during the 2019–2020 process, the company's approach may have been less thorough than intended due to an assumption that they knew the candidate well. Iger is working on a new book titled "One Last Time," scheduled for release in March.

Recent appearances

  • Bob Iger reflects on career at Disney and more

    October 21, 2026 · 📺 Good Morning America

    "GMA" co-anchor Robin Roberts sits down with former Disney CEO Bob Iger as he prepares to be recognized as the 2026 PAC NYC Icon of Culture. SUBSCRIBE to GMA:    / @gma   SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc34mz6t To read the full story and others, visit http://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW: TikTok:   / gma   Instagram:   / goodmorningamerica   Facebook:   / goodmorningamerica   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodmorninga... X:   / gma   Watch full episodes of GMA: https://abcnews.link/8SAXtIX Watch full episodes of GMA3: https://abcnews.link/8…

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Bob Iger: Power, Succession, and Leading Disney Through Upheaval

    September 24, 2026 · 📺 Harvard Business Review

    Few executives have had to make as many high-stakes calls, over as many years, as former Disney CEO Bob Iger. In this conversation with former HBS dean Nitin Nohria, Iger shares what he’s learned about the decisions that really belong to the CEO: where to spend your time, when to step into a problem, when to get out of the way, how to shape culture, and how to lead when crisis becomes a constant. Drawing on ideas from his new book, The CEO: The Role, the Reality, the Responsibility (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GD87T42Z), Nohria presses Iger on the realities of leading at the very top—includin…

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  • Bob Iger | Disney Legends | D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 4K

    August 23, 2026 · 📺 Daps Magic - Disney News and Positive Stuff

    Watch as former Disney Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger is inducted as a Disney Legend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in crystal-clear 4K! Introduced by current Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro, Iger is celebrated by a star-studded lineup of friends and icons including Al Michaels, Diane Sawyer, Alan Silvestri, Jon Favreau, and Harrison Ford. Watch as Iger reflects on his 50-year career with ABC and Disney—including the famous story of trading Al Michaels for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit—followed by a stunning performance of "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" by Samantha Barks and the grand finale…

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  • Anne Hathaway, Bob Iger and more inducted as Disney Legends

    August 17, 2026 · 📺 Good Morning America

    The 2026 Disney Legends class, which also includes the Jonas Brother and Dwayne Johnson, recognizes those who have made a lasting impact on The Walt Disney Co. and its legacy. SUBSCRIBE to GMA: https://youtube.com/@GMA?si=ka34lqdEy... SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc34mz6t To read the full story and others, visit http://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW: TikTok:   / gma   Instagram:   / goodmorningamerica   Facebook:   / goodmorningamerica   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodmorninga... X:   / gma   Watch full episodes of GMA: https://abcnews.l…

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  • D23 EXPO 2026- Bob Iger becomes a Disney Legend (Harrison Ford, Robert Downey, Jr, Al Michaels)

    August 16, 2026 · 📺 Cherry the Geek TV

    Bob Iger is inducted as a 2026 Disney legend by Al Michaels Diane Sawyer, Ellen Pompeo, Robert Downey Jr. and Harrison Ford #D23 #D23Expo #Disney #DisneyLegends #DisneyLegend #BobIger #JoshDmaro #HarrisonFord #EllenPompeo #Robert Downey Jr. #DianeSawyer #AlMichaels #DisneyD23

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  • Walt Disney Q3 FY26 Earnings Call | $DIS | 🔴 WATCH LIVE

    August 05, 2026 · 📺 Benzinga

    The Walt Disney Co (DIS) — Q3 FY26 Earnings Call Live coverage with Benzinga. Q3 FY26 Results EPS: $2.06 (est. $1.86) — inline Revenue: $25.25B (est. $25.44B) — inline Reported: 2026-08-05 Recent Quarters Q2 FY26 (2026-05-06): EPS $1.57 vs est $1.49 · Rev $25.17B vs est $24.88B Q1 FY26 (2026-02-02): EPS $1.63 vs est $1.57 · Rev $25.98B vs est $25.76B Q4 FY25 (2025-11-13): EPS $1.11 vs est $1.03 · Rev $22.46B vs est $22.82B Q3 FY25 (2025-08-06): EPS $1.61 vs est $1.45 · Rev $23.65B vs est $23.72B About The Walt Disney Co Disney operates in three global business segments: entertainment, spor…

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  • #406: Bob Iger — CEO and Chairman of Disney

    July 27, 2026 · 📺 BlackNova Productions

    As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company (https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/) , Robert A. Iger (@RobertIger (  / robertiger  ) ) is the steward of one of the world's largest media companies and some of the most respected and beloved brands around the globe. Since becoming CEO in 2005, Iger has built on Disney's rich history of storytelling and innovation with the acquisitions of Pixar (https://www.pixar.com/) (2006), Marvel (https://www.marvel.com/) (2009), Lucasfilm (https://www.lucasfilm.com/) (2012) and 21st Century Fox (https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/.…

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  • Sixth Street CEO Alan Waxman and Bob Iger on Respecting the Past and Inspiring the Future

    July 27, 2026 · 📺 Sixth Street

    Earlier this year at Sixth Street's annual offsite in Austin, Texas, Co-Founder and CEO Alan Waxman sat down with former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a conversation over a local staple: Terry Black’s BBQ. Bob spoke about the power of curiosity, how the relentless pursuit of perfection prevents mediocrity, and why, despite the impact of AI, the highest forms of creativity will remain uniquely human. His perspective on honoring Disney's rich history without being constrained by it resonates with Sixth Street’s focus on First Principles. By returning to core values, we stay grounded in our culture…

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  • Bob Iger on the Negotiation Philosophy Behind His Biggest Deals | MasterClass

    July 02, 2026 · 📺 MasterClass

    Bob Iger breaks down the negotiation style he's used to close some of the biggest deals of his career: candid, direct, and completely stripped of ego. You'll learn why he reveals his position early even when it gives the other side an advantage, why he refuses to take a winner take all approach, and how focusing on what the other party needs to walk away with is often the fastest path to the deal you want. Stream Bob Iger's class on Business Strategy and Leadership: https://mstr.cl/IgerNegotiationYT #MasterClass

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  • Former Disney CEO Bob Iger On What China Has Meant For The Company

    June 19, 2026 · 📺 CNBC

    Bob Iger, former chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, sits down with CNBC’s Eunice Yoon on the 10th anniversary of Shanghai Disneyland to share his thoughts on China, AI, the theme park which he calls a career highlight as well as his own future post-Disney. Reporter: Eunice Yoon Editing by: Jeff Huang Additional Editing by: Devan Burris Managing Producer: Anuz Thapa » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision About CNBC: From 'Wall Street' to 'Main Street' to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV…

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  • Celebrating Bob Iger's Disney legacy

    March 27, 2026 · 📺 Good Morning America

    "GMA" honors Bob Iger, the longtime Disney leader whose nearly two decades at the helm have helped shape the company's creative legacy and innovation. SUBSCRIBE to GMA:    / @gma   SIGN UP to get the daily GMA Wake-Up Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/yc34mz6t To read the full story and others, visit http://www.goodmorningamerica.com FOLLOW: TikTok:   / gma   Instagram:   / goodmorningamerica   Facebook:   / goodmorningamerica   Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodmorninga... X:   / gma   Watch full episodes of GMA: https://abcnews.link/8SAXtIX Watch full episodes of GMA3: https://abcn…

    Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Bob Iger's Farewell Video

    March 19, 2026 · 📺 DisneyVideoMagic2

    Here is Bob Iger where he delivers his final message as the CEO of Disney after 20 years. Josh D'Amaro will take over as the new ...

    Watch on YouTube ↗

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“We had a process back in 2019 and '20 when we chose my successor. Looking back, perhaps it wasn't as thorough as we thought, in part because we thought we knew the person extremely well. He'd worked for the company for a very long time and for me directly. And we knew his strengths and we knew some of his weaknesses as well. I'm not suggesting that we discounted the weaknesses, but in our zeal to check a box with suc”

“The signs were all there that Disney Animation was faltering, and that its importance to the company was rather significant and therefore had to be fixed and fixed fast. It wasn't that the company was in denial, but I think because they had no solutions in terms of how to fix Disney Animation, there wasn't any real movement to try to do so. They were kind of stuck in neutral in that regard, knowing there was a proble”

“I don't believe that an AI program is going to be able to replicate the creativity of the human mind in its highest form. Yeah, I could be proven wrong over time, but I just don't believe that's the case.”

“I'll be stepping down as CEO on March 18th. I'll be an employee of the company and an adviser through the end of this calendar year, and I will be available on call should anyone want any advice from me.”

“One of the reasons Josh was chosen for this position is I've observed him over the years that we've worked together as someone that views technology as an opportunity and not a threat. The reason this company is so special is because of how creative we are and the human beings that are generating that creativity in my mind that never gets replaced.”

“Often when we dream up ideas here, the first question we we ask ourselves is not how much will it cost. It's can we make it great? And then eventually you get to the well, what is this going to cost? and doesn't make sense because we're trying to serve shareholders as well as as customers. But that is a Walt Disney inheritance, isn't it? I mean, that was very much his approach. It is. And I think actually if you if y”

Other executives at Walt Disney Company (The)

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