“Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger saw his 2025 compensation rise to $45.8 million, as the company reaffirmed that it will name his successor in “early 2026.” Disney filed its annual proxy statement Thursday, setting its annual shareholder meeting for March, including a vote for board members and an advisory vote on executive compensation. Iger’s”, — write: www.hollywoodreporter.com
Disney filed its annual proxy statement Thursday, setting its annual shareholder meeting for March, including a vote for board members and an advisory vote on executive compensation.
Iger’s compensation package was comprised of a $1 million salary, $21 million in stock awards, $14 million in option awards, $7.25 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation, and $2.6 million in other compensation, including for security. For comparison, Iger’s 2024 package totaled $41.1 million.
The filing also disclosed compensation for other top execs, with CFO Hugh Johnston seeing his pay package fall to $20.2 million from $24.5 million, and chief legal and global affairs officer Horacio Gutierrez seeing his pay rise slightly from $15.8 million to $16.3 million.
As always, the actual take-home pay that executives receive depends on the company’s share price, given the heavy tilt toward stock compensation.
It is also worth noting that essentially all of Disney’s top executives sitting below Iger in the org chart, including Gutierrez and Johnston, have inked new contracts with the company in the last few months, ensuring a degree of stability for whomever is selected to succeed Iger.
“The Succession Planning Committee is focused on positioning the new CEO for long-term success at the Company by, among other things, surrounding the new CEO with a team of senior executives who can work together to lead the Company into the future,” the company wrote in the proxy.
In a letter to shareholders, Disney chairman James Gorman wrote that succession planning “remains a top priority” and reaffirming that “we currently expect to announce the appointment of the Company’s next CEO in early 2026.”
Per the proxy, the board succession committee met five times in fiscal 2025, with Iger occasionally being consulted too. “In the course of these discussions [with Iger]the Board evaluates potential candidates and discusses development plans for potential candidates,” the company wrote. Iger has been mentoring internal candidates, the filing notes.
The proxy also indicates that Disney’s board has been developing a compensation plan connected to the succession news “and designing an executive compensation program aimed at driving the creation of long-term shareholder value.”