Advanced Television

Campbell named Disney D2C Chairman; Mayer helms TikTok

May 19, 2020

Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company, has announced that Rebecca Campbell has been named Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International.

Campbell is a 23-year Disney veteran who has held leadership roles across the Company’s media, international and parks businesses and most recently served as President of Disneyland Resort. As Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, Campbell will oversee the Company’s streaming businesses globally, including Disney+ as well as ESPN+, Hulu and Hotstar. Campbell’s portfolio also includes the Company’s international businesses, including Disney’s International Channels, Fox Networks International and Star India.

Prior to becoming President of Disneyland Resort last year, Campbell was a member of the Direct-to-Consumer and International leadership team as President, The Walt Disney Company—Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), where she oversaw the Disney+ launch strategy and direct-to-consumer roadmap for the region.

“As we look to grow our direct-to-consumer business and continue to expand into new markets, I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Rebecca,” Chapek said. “She is an exceptionally talented and dedicated leader with a wealth of experience in media, operations and international businesses. She played a critical role in the launch of Disney+ globally while overseeing the EMEA region, and her strong business acumen and creative vision will be invaluable in taking our successful and well-established streaming services into the future.”

Campbell commented: “Having been a part of the Direct-to-Consumer and International leadership team, I know what a stellar group it is, and I’m honored to be able to lead the organization during this dynamic and exciting time. Armed with the best creative content engines and technology teams in the industry, I am extremely confident in our ability to continue growing the business around the globe.”

Campbell succeeds longtime Disney executive Kevin Mayer, who is leaving the Company to become Chief Operating Officer of ByteDance and Chief Executive Officer of TikTok, ByteDance’s popular mobile video platform.

“Kevin has had an extraordinary impact on our company over the years, most recently as head of our direct-to-consumer business,” said Chapek. “He has done a masterful job of overseeing and growing our portfolio of streaming services, while bringing together the creative and technological assets required to launch the hugely successful Disney+ globally. Having worked alongside Kevin for many years on the senior management team, I am enormously grateful to him for his support and friendship and wish him tremendous success going forward.”

Mayer said: “I am very proud of what our extraordinarily talented Direct-to-Consumer and International team has accomplished in creating and delivering a world-class portfolio of streaming services, particularly Disney+. Rebecca was a critical member of the DTCI team from its inception, and I am certain the business is in great hands and will continue to expand and thrive under her expert leadership. It’s truly been a privilege for me to be part of the iconic Walt Disney Company, and I am enormously grateful to Bob Iger for his trust and confidence, and to Bob Chapek and his senior management team for their collaboration and support over the years.”

As Chairman of DTCI, Campbell will drive the next phase of Disney+’s growth as the service rolls out in new markets around the globe. Following launches in Western Europe and India this spring, Disney+ will debut in Japan in June, followed by the Nordics, Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal in September, and Latin America later in the year.

Campbell will also oversee the expansion of Disney+’s robust collection of library and original content, which has continued to grow since the service launched last November. New additions to Disney+ include the blockbuster Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Disney+’s most successful series, The Mandalorian on May 4th, to be followed later in the year by season two of The Mandalorian; a filmed version of the original Broadway production of Hamilton, debuting on July 3rd; and the fall premiere of a new Disney+ original series from National Geographic, The Right Stuff, based on the Tom Wolfe book about NASA’s Project Mercury.

In addition to leading Disney’s streaming services and the technology organisation that supports them, Campbell will be in charge of regional teams stretching from Europe to Asia to Latin America.

Chapek also announced that Josh D’Amaro has been named Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

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