Returning CEO Bob Iger has his work cut out for him.
During a recent employee town hall, Bob Iger signaled he’s ready to de-escalate Disney’s feud with Florida; “I was sorry to see us dragged into that battle,” Iger said.
“I was sorry to see us dragged into that battle. And I have no idea exactly what its ramifications are in terms of the business itself,” Iger commented. “What I can say is, the state of Florida has been important to us for a long time, and we have been very important to the state of Florida. That is something I’m extremely mindful of and will articulate if I get the chance.”
The returning CEO also expressed a desire to “quiet things down” politically as he moves to right the ship.
“I think that some of the subjects that have proven to be ‘controversial’ as it relates to Disney have been branded political, and I don’t necessarily believe they are,” he said. “Do I like the company being embroiled in controversy? Of course not. It can be distracting and can have a negative impact on the company. To the extent that I can work to quiet things down, I’m going to do that.”
“I think it is important to put in perspective what some of these subjects are and not just simply brand them political,” he added.
Watch the clip below:
EXCLUSIVE: I have obtained video from returning Disney CEO Bob Iger’s first town hall with employees, in which he signals that he will work to “quiet things down” politically and move toward neutrality in the culture war.https://t.co/ZBGdHhxFVS pic.twitter.com/ZbMCZN4MlG
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) November 29, 2022
From The Daily Wire:
When asked specifically about the parental rights legislation, Iger affirmed that “LGBTQ employees” at Disney are “very important to us” and noted that the company would continue promoting “inclusion” in its work. However, he cited a “delicate balance” between telling stories and “listening” to audience members. “It’s important to have respect for the people that you’re serving, that you’re trying to reach, and not have disdain for them,” he said.
Shares for Disney have fallen nearly 40% since the beginning of the year.
