Josh D’Amaro just made his first proclamation as CEO to thousands of Disney employees.
The newly minted CEO took the baton on Wednesday from longtime leader Bob Iger, who served two stints atop the Mouse House after his previous successor flamed out.
“As I step into the CEO role today, I am humbled and honored to help write the next chapter of this company alongside this team,” D’Amaro told employees in a Wednesday memo, which was obtained by Business Insider.
In his inaugural message to Disney staffers, also known as “cast members,” D’Amaro highlighted the importance of “great storytelling and creative excellence.”
Before becoming CEO, D’Amaro ran Disney’s Experiences division, headlined by its parks and cruises businesses. The Massachusetts native joined Disney in 1998 and shares Iger’s birthday: February 10.
D’Amaro got the top job over Dana Walden, a widely respected executive who’s overseen Disney’s entertainment business, including the TV side. While Walden wasn’t selected as CEO, she got promoted to chief creative officer, a newly created position.
D’Amaro is seen inside the company as a charismatic people-person, known for chatting and posing for photos with park guests. A Disney World staffer who met the then-parks-chief in person described him as highly engaged, noting he maintained eye contact for minutes as he answered their question.
“He’s genuinely kind, nice, and cares about all the cast members,” this employee said of D’Amaro.
However, D’Amaro must also charm investors, given that Disney’s stock has been essentially flat over the last 10 years.
Bank of America analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich said late last year that Disney’s stock was at its lowest relative valuation “in more than 40 years.” The stock has fallen about 3% further since then.
Read D’Amaro’s full first-day memo to employees below:
Read the original article on Business Insider
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