Meet Bob Chapek, Disney?s new CEO and the Tim Cook to Iger?s Steve Jobs

But while Mayer has become the face of Disney’s most important division, Chapek, who oversaw the launch of Disney’s new Galaxy’s Edge parks, checks all the boxes the Disney board wants in an executive who will oversee the entire company’s day-to-day operations.“He’s going to commit with both feet and jump into the deep end,” one former Disney executive, who worked with Iger and Chapek and asked to remain anonymous, told The Verge.Crucially, Iger will stay on as executive chairman, reporting directly and exclusively to the board of directors, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. With Chapek in as CEO, Iger told investors he will “spend as much time as possible with the creative side of Disney’s businesses, noting those areas will become “our biggest priority in 2021.” Iger will guide Chapek through the succession transition, getting him to a point where he can take over every aspect of the job when Iger steps down as executive chairman at the end of 2021. A caretaker executive like Chapek can carry out Iger’s vision for Disney in the years to come, while Iger continues to work with various heads in creative departments on the future of Disney’s content.“If he’s sticking around, it could just be that he’s the trainer,” the former Disney executive said. Chapek’s leadership came at a time when Disney was moving rapidly into a franchise-first strategy.“They bring in Bob Chapek to come and implement the Iger agenda,” the executive told The Verge. Chapek “did what Bob wanted him to do,” the executive said, noting that Chapek proved he could “be loyal, be effective, and wasn’t afraid of making tough decisions.” By the time Chapek was promoted to chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in 2015, he was in Iger’s good graces. Iger said he formed a bond with Chapek while dealing with Shanghai launching and problems back in the United States.“The bond you form in high-stress moments like this, when you’re sharing information that you can’t discuss with anyone else, is a powerful one,” Iger wrote in his book, The Ride of a Lifetime.By 2020, Shanghai Disney became one of Disney’s most successful parks, generating $1 billion in revenue and approximately $50 million in operating profit annually for the company. The question remains: does Disney need a new Iger right now — when he’s still committed to developing content at the company for the next two years — or someone who can execute on his division, working alongside Mayer?