BOB CHAPEK SAYS HE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT BOB IGER WEEKLY

Former Disney chief executive Bob Chapek says he raised concerns about Bob Iger with Disney's board "weekly" during his time running the company, according to an interview he gave on CNBC's Squawk Box. Chapek made the comments while promoting his new memoir, "Behind the Castle Walls: My Thirty Years at the Happiest Place on Earth." He was removed as chief executive in late 2022, under three years after taking the role, and was replaced by Iger. Chapek said it would have been "great" had Iger acted "as a steward" of his new role, in the way he says other chief executives would have done.

Chapek took charge of Disney weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic forced the closure of cinemas and theme parks worldwide in 2020, while Iger remained at the company overseeing content initiatives including Disney+. Chapek says Iger gradually reasserted control over the business, a power struggle previously reported by CNBC in 2023. He told the broadcaster he began hearing, repeatedly within the same week, that Iger had been criticising him at lunches and dinners. When he raised this with Disney's board, Chapek says he was told: "He'll be gone in two years. It's OK. That's Bob being Bob." Iger went on to return to the chief executive post.

Speaking separately on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily, Chapek said Disney needs a "growth engine" and claimed employees have been discouraged from staying in contact with him. He said he has not heard from Josh D'Amaro, Disney's chief executive, since 2022. Iger's return to the top job was reported to run until March 2026, though the source material does not state who currently leads the company.