Thomas Staggs To Leave The Walt Disney Company

In a surprise announcement, Disney’s Chief Operating Offier, Thomas Staggs, is stepping down in the role in May and will leave the company entirely at the end of September.  Thomas Staggs has been in the post for just over a year and was set to become the chairman and CEO of Disney in two years when Bob Iger is set to step down.

Disney said its board of directors “will broaden the scope of its succession planning process to identify and evaluate a robust slate of candidates for consideration,  Tom has been a great friend and trusted colleague for more than 20 years,” said Iger. “He’s made important contributions to this company, earning wide respect across the organization for his achievements and personal integrity. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, immensely grateful for the privilege of working with him, and confident that he will be enormously successful in whatever opportunity he chooses.”

“Disney truly stands alone, not only because of the company’s phenomenal creativity, but also because of the thousands of remarkable people who make it such an extraordinary place. It’s been a privilege to work with them and be inspired by their creativity and commitment. It’s also been a great experience to work with Bob during this dynamic era of unprecedented growth and transformation. I remain grateful for that opportunity, and I’m confident that Disney’s future will be just as exciting as its legendary past.”

What do you think of Thomas Staggs leaving the Walt Disney Company?