Tony Chambers named President of The Walt Disney Company, EMEA

The Walt Disney Company has named Tony Chambers President of The Walt Disney Company, EMEA, as part of a restructuring of its entertainment businesses in the region to further align with the company’s global strategy. Chambers will report to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, as well as ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. Jan Koeppen, the current President of EMEA, will step down in February as part of the restructure.

Under the new structure, several of the company’s businesses in the region, such as Direct-to-Consumer, Ad Sales, Platform Distribution, Networks, Local Original Content, Studio Marketing, Theatrical Distribution, and Sports, will report directly to the global business leaders of those areas. These leaders will have P&L oversight for their respective regional businesses in EMEA. The regional president will continue to serve as the company’s representative in the region, responsible for aligning strategic priorities, managing financials, coordinating teams, leading local initiatives (excluding Disney Experiences), and overseeing shared service functions, including human resources, communications, and finance.

Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, Co-Chairmen of Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN briefly explained the characteristics of the region: “EMEA is a key region for our global business, and as we realign our strategy for our entertainment businesses there, we’re fortunate to transition between two exceptional leaders. Tony Chambers is a seasoned executive with a collaborative style and a stellar reputation in EMEA and across the company. He brings a wealth of experience to this important new role. We look forward to continuing our growth in EMEA and around the world, and we are incredibly grateful for Jan’s contributions, which have had a lasting impact on the team and the company," commented.

Tony Chambers thanked for the challenge: “I’m truly honored to be leading the world-class EMEA team in this new role. It’s a dynamic region that has seen incredible positive change in recent years, and I’m excited to build on that momentum," stated.

Jan Koeppen celebrated his time at the company, “I’m grateful for the incredible six years I’ve had at Disney, working with some of the most talented and creative people in the industry during a period of profound transformation, including the launch and establishment of Disney+ in the region. I leave with a full heart and great pride in the exceptional Disney EMEA team," noted.

As Chambers takes on this new role, a new global head of Theatrical Distribution will be appointed in the near future.