The Walt Disney Company has made a few leadership changes this week. On Friday, Disney announced that Karandeep Anand will be its new Chief Technology Officer. This comes as Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro continues to pursue his vision of what Disney will look like under his leadership (more on that here). The day before, Disney made leadership changes within its Entertainment segment, specifically over how its Direct-to-Consumer division would be run. Adam Smith was named as the Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment. The announcement was made by President and Chief Creative Officer for Disney, Dana Walden.
“Over the past two years, Adam has done an exceptional job building a world-class team of product and technology leaders and has significantly enhanced the Disney+ user experience globally,” said Dana Walden. “Alan Bergman and I are pleased to recognize the tremendous impact he has had on our direct-to-consumer business since he joined Disney, and we are confident that he is the right leader to meet the critical moment we’re in and take us to the next level.”
In this new role, Smith will be charged with overseeing Disney’s “global entertainment SVOD business, driving strategy, development, and continued innovation across the company’s streaming platforms, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies and more.” This is an expanded role for Smith that will also see him overseeing Disney+ and Hulu. For this part of his job, he will be leading its product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships, and data & analytics initiatives.
“Disney has the best storytellers and the most passionate fandom in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has built together,” said Adam Smith, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer, Disney Entertainment. “We’ve established real momentum, and our vision ahead is clear: make Disney+ the connection point for fans everywhere to engage with the full breadth and depth of the broader Disney ecosystem. I’m grateful for this team, energized by what’s ahead, and excited for our next chapter.”
Smith has been with Disney since 2024. Since joining the company, he has played a central role in transforming its direct-to-consumer business. Most recently, he served as Co-President, Direct-to-Consumer and Chief Product & Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN. Before that, Smith was with Google and YouTube for over two decades. While there, he held several executive roles in numerous divisions. In both companies, he held leadership positions through significant growth trajectories.
Along with the new role for Adam Smith, a new role was also announced for Joe Early. He will be taking on the newly created role of President, Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy. He will lead the strategic development of Disney Entertainment Television franchises and maximize their value as he creates new opportunities to engage audiences and drive the business forward. To do this, he will oversee all content and production for international originals, production, labor relations, and creative talent development.
“Joe has been an exceptional leader for our direct-to-consumer business over the past four years, and I am deeply grateful for his partnership and meaningful contributions,” said Walden. “He is a talented executive with a rare combination of business acumen and creative instincts, and Debra OConnell and I could not be more excited to welcome him to the leadership team at Disney Entertainment Television.”
Joe Earley came to Disney in 2019 when the company purchased 21st Century Fox. He initially oversaw global Disney+ marketing and operations ahead of its launch. In 2022, he was named the President of Hulu. Most recently, he served as Co-President, Direct-to-Consumer and head of content strategy. Before his time at Disney, he held a variety of roles across content, communications, marketing, and operations at Fox.
What do you think of these appointments in Disney Entertainment? How do you think they will impact its initiatives? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
