Former Disney CEO Chapek says he raised concerns about Iger with board weekly — CNBC

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek said that while in office, he informed the company’s board of directors every week about concerns over the actions of then-Disney executive chairman Bob Iger. He said this in an interview with CNBC Top News during a tour supporting his memoir, “Behind the Castle Walls: My Thirty Years at the Happiest Place on Earth.”

Chapek’s statements

According to Chapek, he heard about lunches and dinners during which Iger allegedly sharply criticized him. The former Disney executive claims that over the course of one week, the same points of criticism reached him two or three times.

Chapek said he raised his concerns with Disney’s board of directors. According to him, they responded that Iger would leave the company in two years and described such behavior as typical for him. Chapek also said that he expected support from Iger in his new role, or at least a neutral position, but believed that Iger was actively working against him.

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Disney leadership change

Chapek, who headed Disney’s parks and entertainment division before his appointment, became the company’s CEO in 2020 — several weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of cinemas and amusement parks around the world. During that time, Iger remained at Disney and handled content areas, including Disney+.

At the end of 2022, Chapek left the post less than three years after his appointment, and Iger returned as CEO. He held the position until March 2026. Nearly four years after his dismissal, Chapek spoke publicly in more detail about this period of work at the company.