Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek won praise in many corners in 2020 for ably steering the company through the devastation of Covid after taking the baton from Bob Iger early in that fateful year.The year-and-a-half since has seen much more blowback along with bouquets, with the sharp pullback in Disney’s share price reflecting in part lingering questions about the future of the seventh person ever to serve as CEO in the company’s 99-year history.
He publicly clashed with Scarlett Johansson over the release of Black Widow, ejected widely respected executive Peter Rice with minimal explanation, and fumbled (by his own admission) the company’s response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.Earlier today, though, Chapek got a three-year contract renewal from the Disney board of directors.
The announcement of the widely expected renewal capped a two-day meeting of the board. Today, the newly re-upped boss will be back in his element, presiding over a christening ceremony for the Disney Wish in Port Canaveral, FL.
The cruise ship will set off on its maiden voyage on July 14.Its development and construction overseen by Chapek during his stint running the company’s theme parks and resorts division, the Wish is the first new cruise ship to join the fleet in the past decade.
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