Disney Eyeing EA’s Andrew Wilson as Potential CEO Successor
Disney is in the process of searching for a new CEO to take over from Bob Iger, and one of the names on their list of potential candidates is EA’s Andrew Wilson.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Disney is considering external candidates for the position, with Wilson’s name being mentioned alongside other prominent figures such as Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden, Disney parks chairman Josh D’Amaro, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman.
EA has a strong relationship with Disney, particularly through their development of Star Wars games, which have been very successful, selling over 52 million copies and generating more than $3 billion in revenue. Currently, EA is also working on new titles based on Star Wars and Marvel properties, such as a Star Wars Jedi threequel, Iron Man, and Black Panther games.
Andrew Wilson has a history with EA, having served as CEO since 2013 and chairman since 2021. There were discussions about him potentially taking on the role of ESPN chairman in 2018, although that position ultimately went to Pitaro. Additionally, there were rumors of Disney considering acquiring EA during Bob Chapek’s tenure as CEO. The search for Iger’s successor comes at a time when the company is facing various controversies.
While Disney has experienced significant success with the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars franchises, they have also faced criticism for their reliance on sequels rather than original content. Actress Tatiana Maslany, known for her role in She-Hulk, publicly criticized Iger for being “out of touch” with workers during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strike.
Bob Iger served as Disney CEO from 2005 to 2020 and continued to advise his successor, Chapek. He returned to the role of CEO in November 2022 and is expected to remain in that position until his contract expires in 2026.