Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro sent an email out to cast members after Bob Iger announced that The Walt Disney Company will be laying off 7,000 of its employees. This comes as Disney is looking to cut costs across its three main new segments that were also announced yesterday.
D’Amaro sent an email out sharing that the layoffs will also be coming to the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment but they will not be impacting hourly frontline operations cast members. The layoffs will be hitting all three of Disney’s segments now.
In the email, D’Amaro said, “I’m inspired by Bob’s clear vision and I’m excited for us to contribute to a new era of exceptional storytelling. It’s an incredible privilege to lead Disney Parks, Experiences and Products and work with all of you as we collaborate with teams across the company to embark on this next chapter in Disney’s history.”
He continued saying, “We remain committed to our legacy of delivering these innovative and meaningful storytelling experiences and will continue to invest in our business with immersive, relevant content around the world. Yesterday’s announcement of an Avatar experience coming to the Disneyland Resort is just one example of this.”
While the layoffs have been announced, it isn’t known exactly who will be let go at this time. Please be extra gracious and patient with cast members during this time of uncertainty. The full email can be read below:
Team,
On yesterday’s earnings call, Bob announced a strategic reorganization that refocuses the company on creativity, empowers our creative leaders and ensures we have accountability for our businesses globally. As you heard yesterday, effective immediately, the company will be reorganized into three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, co-chaired by Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, ESPN, led by Jimmy Pitaro, and Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, which I will continue to lead.
Our colleagues in Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution (DMED) and International Content and Operations (IC&O) will be immediately joining either Disney Entertainment, ESPN, a shared services team that supports both of those new business segments, or a corporate organization.
I’m inspired by Bob’s clear vision and I’m excited for us to contribute to a new era of exceptional storytelling. It’s an incredible privilege to lead Disney Parks, Experiences and Products and work with all of you as we collaborate with teams across the company to embark on this next chapter in Disney’s history.
Over the last few years, we’ve faced a great deal of disruption and change, and I am extraordinarily proud of the resilience you all have displayed — you embraced the need for transformation by implementing new processes, developing creative solutions, and identifying opportunities to improve our business across the organization. I know it hasn’t always been easy, but we have continued to deliver outstanding results and I’m thankful for your hard work.
As we look to the future, I want you to know that the Guest and consumer experience remains at the core of all we do, and we will continue to listen to feedback and make decisions that enhance the quality of their experience.
Our businesses provide an immersive, live canvas for Disney’s unrivaled catalog of content, enhancing the value of our brands and franchises with real world experiences that connect Guests and fans to the stories and characters they love. We remain committed to our legacy of delivering these innovative and meaningful storytelling experiences and will continue to invest in our business with immersive, relevant content around the world. Yesterday’s announcement of an Avatar experience coming to the Disneyland Resort is just one example of this.
Finally, as was shared on the earnings call, the company is targeting significant savings across all businesses and the reorganization will result in necessary reductions to our overall workforce. While our teams have made great progress in contributing to cost savings, these measures affect every segment and organization — including ours — and are vital as we implement more cost-effective, coordinated, and streamlined operations. As we determine our approach on achieving these savings, we will remain focused on delivering the best guest and consumer experiences, and do not expect this to affect our hourly frontline Operations roles.
I know how difficult this is to hear and understand the anxiety that comes with this kind of uncertainty. We will do everything we can to be transparent as things progress, and most importantly, we will act with respect and care every step of the way.
I truly believe in this company, am confident in its future, and look forward to building upon our remarkable success.
Thanks for all you do.
Josh
