By Elias Schisgall


Walt Disney Co. is centralizing its marketing efforts into a new enterprise marketing and brand organization.

Asad Ayaz will serve as chief marketing and brand officer, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger and Disney's various segment chairs in leading marketing efforts across business units, the company said Wednesday.

Ayaz currently leads marketing at Walt Disney Studios and Disney+, and was named Disney's first chief brand officer in 2023.

Disney said Wednesday that the new unit would leverage marketing teams across the company to build a more unified marketing strategy.

"As our businesses have evolved, it's clear that we need a company-wide role that ensures brand consistency and allows consumers today to seamlessly interact with our wonderful products and experiences," Iger said. "The Chief Marketing and Brand Officer role is critical for this moment, and Asad is the perfect fit."

Ayaz first joined Disney in 2005, charged with maximizing revenue from the home-entertainment division. Since then, he has established himself as an influential and detail-oriented executive who already oversaw marketing for several Disney divisions, even before the consolidation, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Known inside the company as an unusually exuberant Disney fan, Ayaz has also worked to depoliticize Disney's brand following high-profile partisan battles, especially with Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida, according to the Journal.

He's not considered a likely candidate in the contest to replace Iger as CEO, but is viewed by many at the company as a potential "next next" CEO, the Journal reported last month.


Write to Elias Schisgall at elias.schisgall@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-14-26 1742ET