ATTENTION EDITORS AND REPORTERS:

UCLA Anderson School of Management experts are available for interviews regarding the appointment of Disney President and COO Robert Iger as the company’s next CEO.

Disney's Performance and Strategic Execution

Gigi Johnson
Executive Director, Entertainment and Media Management Institute
UCLA Anderson School of Management
(310) 825-6870
Gigi Johnson currently directs UCLA Anderson School's 27-year old entertainment management program and previously served as managing director in Bank of America's entertainment/media practice.  She wonders what Mr. Iger, as a Disney insider, will do differently from current CEO Michael Eisner.  Ms. Johnson notes that over the last few years, Disney has not been strategic in its long-term planning, and that many of the company's assets are tied up in theme parks.  She also says that Mr. Iger will need to re-establish some creative partnerships/relationships, especially as Disney seeks to thrive in the face of transforming entertainment and media business models.

George T. Geis, Ph.D.
Associate Dean, Executive MBA Program and Adjunct Professor, Decision Sciences
UCLA Anderson School of Management
(310) 825-2987
Prof. Geis is an expert in the business models and partnership strategies of top companies like Sony, Microsoft, Intel, Vivendi Universal and Time Warner.  Prof. Geis, who also closely follows Disney, can discuss what Mr. Iger will need to do to maintain Disney's edge in an industry that is becoming more fiercely competitive -- especially in light of some recent events, including last's week executive change at Sony that put Sir Howard Stringer in the CEO seat.  Prof. Geis is the author of "Digital Deals: Strategies for Selecting and Structuring Partnerships," (McGraw-Hill, 2001).

Leadership/Management Style

Samuel Culbert, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management
(310) 825-7784
Prof. Culbert is widely recognized as an expert in the field of executive leadership, teamwork and communication.  He can discuss the leadership characteristics and management style that he feels Mr. Iger will need to employ in order to be successful -- especially as he succeeds a Disney chief whose management style could, at times, be combative and abrasive.  Prof. Culbert is author of "Don't Kill the Bosses!," which reframes the foundations of how hierarchy and relationships should be thought of at work.

CEO Succession Planning

David Lewin, Ph.D.
Neil Jacoby Professor of Management and Senior Associate Dean, MBA Program
UCLA Anderson School of Management
(310) 206-7666
Prof. Lewin is a corporate governance expert who can discuss the conscious choices boards of directors and shareholders make in determining all aspects of a company's executive management, including position, executive pay and perks, stock options, severance packages, etc.  He can discuss Disney's process in choosing its new CEO Robert Iger, including concerns raised recently about screening and interview procedures.