News Bob Iger is back! Chapek is out!!

[LSLS]

So, iger definitely had plans to retire and worked with the board on it so he could retire effective immediately and put in place someone he didn't think was a good fit? Do I have the alternative to iger running cause he saw the writing was on the wall with covid figured out?

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Chapek was the only guy hanging around internally…

Which suggests Iger had ZERO plans to retire.

The sequence of events really…really…paints him as a rat off a ship in an unprecedented time…ever more strengthened by his “hanging around” and details of “disagreements” leaking to the press.

Disney has had more grievances aired via press the last few years than they had along time prior…none of it leading back to “sleuth reporting”

Exactly. Iger stepped down with over a year remaining on his contract and just coincidentally did so "effective immediately" right before things got bad with COVID in the US. Typically, when a CEO "retires" they do so with an effective date at some point (3-6 months, a year, whatever) in the future so they can have a smooth transition - show the new CEO how things work and get them settled before handing over the reins. What they don't do is say, "I'm out starting right now! I'll be over here if the new guy has any questions."

As for the idea some suggest that Iger was forced out: if that was the case, why would the Board then beg him to come back now??? If he was some burden that the Board wanted gone, they would have just hired someone new to replace Chapek - whether it was an internal candidate or someone from outside the company (likely one of the many potential candidates that Iger chased off). Also, why would the Board force a CEO change in February 2020 when they all could see the writing on the wall with COVID? "Hey, let's force out our current CEO and shake things up a bit right before that health emergency gets bad here so we have a new, inexperienced CEO leading us through it!" doesn't sound like the sort of thing the Board of Directors at a major corporation would say.

 

[_caleb]

So, iger definitely had plans to retire and worked with the board on it so he could retire effective immediately and put in place someone he didn't think was a good fit? Do I have the alternative to iger running cause he saw the writing was on the wall with covid figured out?

Ooh. that’s a good one! And clearly the only possible option. Well done!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly. Iger stepped down with over a year remaining on his contract and just coincidentally did so "effective immediately" right before things got bad with COVID in the US. Typically, when a CEO "retires" they do so with an effective date at some point (3-6 months, a year, whatever) in the future so they can have a smooth transition - show the new CEO how things work and get them settled before handing over the reins. What they don't do is say, "I'm out starting right now! I'll be over here if the new guy has any questions."

As for the idea some suggest that Iger was forced out: if that was the case, why would the Board then beg him to come back now??? If he was some burden that the Board wanted gone, they would have just hired someone new to replace Chapek - whether it was an internal candidate or someone from outside the company (likely one of the many potential candidates that Iger chased off). Also, why would the Board force a CEO change in February 2020 when they all could see the writing on the wall with COVID? "Hey, let's force out our current CEO and shake things up a bit right before that health emergency gets bad here so we have a new, inexperienced CEO leading us through it!" doesn't sound like the sort of thing the Board of Directors at a major corporation would say.

You noticed all this too?

Tell Caleb

Joking aside…it’s probably a sign of some kind of cosmic level problem when me, mono, pirate, captain America, Marni and EPCOT OG are all basically “simpatico” on a stance

…be very afraid

 

[JoeCamel]

You noticed all this too?

Tell Caleb

Joking aside…it’s probably a sign of some kind of cosmic level problem when me, mono, pirate, captain America, Marni and EPCOT OG are all basically “simpatico” on a stance

…be very afraid

Did you just name the new CEO(s)?

 

[_caleb]

People that are being forced out of jobs often tell others that they were ready to retire.

This part is true!

No one wants to be fired if they can save face and retire. The fact is Iger had been on borrowed time for a long time.

If by “borrowed time” you mean “the board kept asking him to stay and extending his contract,” then true.

It is entirely possible that he liked the job and never wanted to leave... but if you are being forced out you would say you were ready to retire all the while you could be plotting your return... and what better way to do it than to insure that your replacement was incompetent and would create a situation where they would need to get you back to fix things.

This is the three episode arc of a plot on Dynasty. Bot not the original series from the 1980s; from the crappy reboot that’s still running on The CW.

But whether this was some cunning plan by Iger or not, it highlights the ignorance of the Board. A large portion of the problems were not actually Chapek's doing,

What percentage, would you say?

a large number were started by Iger and only got the full light of day shined on them when Iger had left... though the biggest problem is Iger picked Chapek to replace him... So Iger is responsible for picking the incompetent Chapek which makes it a stupid decision to bring the man that picked Chapek back. A competent board would have picked someone else to try and fix things not the incompetent that picked the incompetent that you just fired.

Oh, so it was the Board who killed Disney’s reputation by committing fraud, intentionally choosing a buffoon as CEO, and then bringing back the man they fired?

 

[_caleb]

Exactly. Iger stepped down with over a year remaining on his contract

Extension. His contract was being extended year to year.

and just coincidentally did so "effective immediately" right before things got bad with COVID in the US.

Since we’re speculating, you can’t imagine any other reason he’d retire?

Typically, when a CEO "retires" they do so with an effective date at some point (3-6 months, a year, whatever) in the future so they can have a smooth transition - show the new CEO how things work and get them settled before handing over the reins. What they don't do is say, "I'm out starting right now! I'll be over here if the new guy has any questions."

You are aware that Iger “was about to retire” for several years, right? So you’re saying that because it wasn’t handled “typically,” that means Iger was literally so scared of the prospect of being CEO during the pandemic that he fled his office?

As for the idea some suggest that Iger was forced out: if that was the case, why would the Board then beg him to come back now??? If he was some burden that the Board wanted gone, they would have just hired someone new to replace Chapek - whether it was an internal candidate or someone from outside the company (likely one of the many potential candidates that Iger chased off).

This is a great question, but still playing the game of speculation!

Also, why would the Board force a CEO change in February 2020 when they all could see the writing on the wall with COVID? "Hey, let's force out our current CEO and shake things up a bit right before that health emergency gets bad here so we have a new, inexperienced CEO leading us through it!" doesn't sound like the sort of thing the Board of Directors at a major corporation would say.

And that’s how we deduce what REALLY happened, isn’t it? We ask ourselves: “Does this sound like the sort of thing a Board of Directors at a majorly corporation would say?”

 

[JohnD]

Everyone knows EPCOT stands for:

Every
Person
Comes
Out
Tired

Every
Potential
Construction
Overwhelms
Terrain

 

[_caleb]

You noticed all this too?

Tell Caleb

Joking aside…it’s probably a sign of some kind of cosmic level problem when me, mono, pirate, captain America, Marni and EPCOT OG are all basically “simpatico” on a stance

…be very afraid

Nothing to be afraid of, the Game of Speculation is FUN for the whole family!

To play: each player selectively chooses which Disney news and information they want to use. Don’t worry, no need for the information to come from reliable (or even real) sources.

Next, as quickly as possible, concoct the most dramatic narrative you can imagine and posit it as the most likely story of what really happened behind the scenes. Make sure it’s full of juicy details you could not possibly know!

Finally, repeat your story enough times that others begin to repeat it, too! When you get at least 5 other members to repeat something that sounds vaguely like your story, you win!

Congratulations, you’ve won the Game of Speculation!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This part is true!

If by “borrowed time” you mean “the board kept asking him to stay and extending his contract,” then true.

This is the three episode arc of a plot on Dynasty. Bot not the original series from the 1980s; from the crappy reboot that’s still running on The CW.

What percentage, would you say?

Oh, so it was the Board who killed Disney’s reputation by committing fraud, intentionally choosing a buffoon as CEO, and then bringing back the man they fired?

Here’s where we agree…a bit.

Iger would never have been fired. Absolutely not. He spent along time cultivating himself as a political and Wall Street darling. And that sells.
I do give him credit for that.

He was absolutely 100% an empty suit who was used as a tool by Roy to settle his vendetta against Eisner (I made you, mister and I can break you just as easily!!!)

And Iger was savvy and laid low at first…mended some fences and found his lane in IP acquisitions. He was not good steering creativity…they had really 3 big animation hits in his tenure and he milked them…credit there. MCU has done better than they could have desired. Pixar has lost ground and Lucas is almost a “Lucas level” disaster. A ship adrift with no crew.

Actually…I’m gonna give him more credit. He did manage better in retrospect.

But as far as corporate governance, management? Worse than Eisner. Chasing off talent and bringing business World drones that don’t fit the product they sell…we’re just now seeing the tip of the iceberg on that rot.

Parks? He made money short term. But no long game and that is the disaster manifesting on the Ground in 3, 4 or even 4.5 of their park centers…depending on how you look at it.

Ok…full stop before I completely lose my work concentration


As far as your last paragraph goes…it’s not fraud…no money was banked on chapek.
But…and I can’t prove it…but is it possible that Iger rigged this entire thing based on events and the players?

Possible? I’d argue it’s most likely…but definitely possible.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Iger planning things implemented under Chapek and Iger selecting Chapek to be the next CEO a short time later

“Omg did you see what he did…i can’t believe he’s CEO…I have to come back to save the company!”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Nothing to be afraid of, the Game of Speculation is FUN for the whole family!

To play: each player selectively chooses which Disney news and information they want to use. Don’t worry, no need for the information to come from reliable (or even real) sources.

Next, as quickly as possible, concoct the most dramatic narrative you can imagine and posit it as the most likely story of what really happened behind the scenes. Make sure it’s full of juicy details you could not possibly know!

Finally, repeat your story enough times that others begin to repeat it, too! When you get at least 5 other members to repeat something that sounds vaguely like your story, you win!

Congratulations, you’ve won the Game of Speculation!

Later can we play “sycophant tool with a ticket?”

…you’ll need one of those adult princess dresses from the magic kingdom shop with matching ears and a clutch for this one

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Iger planning things implemented under Chapek and Iger selecting Chapek to be the next CEO a short time later

“Omg did you see what he did…i can’t believe he’s CEO…I have to come back to save the company!”

…I mean…that IS the story on the ground here…

But this “12 vs 1 (plus 2 Like lurkers)” thing we’re doing on this thread here is always a hoot

 

[lazyboy97o]

Tom Staggs is really the only leader in recent history to get it right.

No! No he was not! Staggs was also a part of the worst of Eisner’s later years.

Ooh. that’s a good one! And clearly the only possible option. Well done!

You keep saying there are other explanations but refuse to give them. If there are all of these other explanations, then actually state them.

Extension. His contract was being extended year to year.

No, it was not. And being extended doesn’t make the difference you are trying to claim. It’s a contract. It’s not some weird nebulous thing that does not really count.

Disney extends CEO Bob Iger's contract through 2021

Walt Disney Co. said Thursday it has extended the contract of Chairman and Chief Executive Bob Iger through December 2021, locking in a 16-year run leading the Burbank entertainment juggernaut.

www.latimes.com

You are aware that Iger “was about to retire” for several years, right? So you’re saying that because it wasn’t handled “typically,” that means Iger was literally so scared of the prospect of being CEO during the pandemic that he fled his office?

Yes, Iger kept saying that and yet kept choosing to stay multiple times, at times for several years. He could have chosen a successor at any time. He could have told the Board it’s their problem to figure out. He was not compelled to extend. Figuring out a successor was/is his job and he spent years without producing results.

 

[_caleb]

Later can we play “sycophant tool with a ticket?”

…you’ll need one of those adult princess dresses from the magic kingdom shop with matching ears and a clutch for this one

I’m a sycophant for pointing out speculation?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m a sycophant for pointing out speculation?

…only your mirror can tell you.


It seems odd for anyone in light of about 5 years of recent events to not think there were some fairly obvious shenanigans going on with Iger here…

But it goes back to my question up thread: do you believe Disney is required to tell you the truth?

This comes up all the time on a variety of threads with many people. Believing that a public company is under some threat of seizure if they massage their way around the truth…

My question is: do you think that taking what they say without consideration of motive is working with the bobs?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Iger planning things implemented under Chapek and Iger selecting Chapek to be the next CEO a short time later

“Omg did you see what he did…i can’t believe he’s CEO…I have to come back to save the company!”

Honestly, if Iger planned a whole suite of moves to intentionally tank the company under his anointed successor so that the company would beg him to come back and then that is exactly what happened, well, I'm glad such a master strategist is at the helm of Disney!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Stock’s almost at its five-year low (March 20, 2020). Meanwhile, the animation division keeps catching L’s, Star Wars can’t make it to theaters, they’ve tapped out on the rich whales for the Starcruiser, and Avatar’s come in well below expectations. And Willow seems to be completely absent from any buzz or discussion.

…oh and they’re hemorrhaging money at the studios for D+ Content and new subscribers are grinding to a halt…so they’re gonna charge everyone 3X the price and run ads on it…

Forgot that.

Oh and they have zero domestic builds on deck in parks while the competition is gaining ground…most likely because imagineering can’t make a staples run without spending $300,000,000 and what they build out of the tape and glue typically has been vastly underwhelming to alot of the public customers…

…forgot that too

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I mean lets be honest folks - Iger picked Chapek and helped set him up. A lot of the terrible park decisions and investments were made by Iger.

Tom Staggs is really the only leader in recent history to get it right.

Two of the biggest punching bags on fan sites are Eisner and staggs.

Just hated…

But passes are given to other doozies - no problem.

As far as staggs goes. I give him credit for at least acknowledging that he was a numbers guy but trying to understand the creative balance. It wasn’t perfect…but he wasn’t a clown like chapek…

And frankly these twits Cruella and Skinny Jeans are far worse…but nobody is gonna believe it until they’re gone and the Instagram posts with hourlies on the poverty line working soarin at DCA stop.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

…and the staggs hit happened before I even could predict it.