Disney expands CEO search to outside candidates to find Bob Iger’s successor

Media giant Disney is expanding its search for Bob Iger’s successor beyond the walls of the Magic Kingdom, according to a new report.

The Mouse House had considered a handful of internal candidates, but is now working with recruiters from search firm Heidrick & Struggles to conduct a review of external contenders for the top job, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

One possible outside successor is Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson, a name that has been bandied about repeatedly in recent years.

The 50-year-old executive, who has served as EA’s chairman and CEO since 2013, has been in contact with Iger over the years.

A source told The Post that Iger tried to get Wilson to run ESPN before the appointment of Jimmy Pitaro in 2018.

“Iger is interested in him,” the source said. “He is young. He tried to get him to run ESPN.”

Prior to becoming CEO, Wilson served as executive vice president of EA Sports and Origin, where he led EA Sports’ global business, as well as EA’s digital service for PC.

He also served as vice president and executive producer of all EA Sports FIFA games, growing it into one of the most popular video game franchises of all time.

The search for Iger’s successor is being led by outgoing Morgan Stanley executive James Gorman, who will become Disney’s chairman starting Jan. 2.

He recently said that a successor to Iger will be announced in early 2026.

Iger’s contract is set to expire at the end of 2026. He returned in 2022 after the disastrous term of his self-selected contract.

The newspaper reported that Wilson held talks about selling EA to Disney during Chapek’s reign, but the negotiations did not lead to a deal.

Wilson’s consideration comes as The Mouse House has made a push into the video game space after taking a $1.5 billion stake in “Fortnite” creator Epic Games.

In addition to considering outsiders, Disney’s board is also evaluating four internal candidates: Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, ESPN chairman Pitaro and Parks & Experiences chief Josh D’Amaro.

It’s possible that Disney will find a way to bring in an outsider and elevate an internal candidate.

The newspaper reported that Iger – who is focused on choosing a strong successor – called Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos earlier this year, asking about the possibility of a dual CEO arrangement at Disney.

During the WSJ’s Tech Live Conference in October, Sarandos said it was “difficult for me to recommend” a co-CEO model for a company like Disney.

“I understand their business well, but not their business structure,” Sarandos added at the time.

Although it’s still early days, sources told The Journal that Walden and D’Amaro have complementary skills to run the business, as she’s a TV executive who works closely with Hollywood talent and he’s a money-making operations guru.

Replacing Iger — an executive who Gorman recently said has a “rare combination of exceptionally good creative instincts with great business judgment” — will be complicated.

Speaking at an October event for the National Association of Corporate Directors trade group, Gorman added that he understood why Disney wanted to keep Iger for so long.

Iger has held the position since 2005 – with a two-year stint – before returning to the role in 2022.

“But people don’t last forever, so eventually you have to move,” Gorman concluded.