This afternoon, The Walt Disney Company announced that Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy would be taking an extended leave of absence and, in turn, would be leaving her role as CFO.
What’s Happening:
- Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy will be stepping down from her role for a family medical leave of absence, with veteran Disney executive Kevin Lansberry set to serve as the company’s Interim CFO, effective Saturday, July 1st.
- McCarthy will continue as a strategic advisor to the company during her leave and will assist with the process of identifying and onboarding a long-term successor to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
- In an SEC filing, Disney notes the last day of McCarthy’s leave and employment with the Company will be June 30, 2024.
- It also states that terms of McCarthy’s compensation are unchanged by this move.
- Lansberry has agreed to serve as Interim CFO while a thorough search of internal and external candidates is conducted for a permanent replacement.
- As Interim CFO, Lansberry will assume oversight of the company’s worldwide finance organization, which includes corporate alliances and partnerships, corporate real estate, corporate strategy and business development, enterprise controllership, enterprise technology, financial planning and analysis, global product and labor standards, global security, investor relations, risk management, tax, and treasury.
About Kevin Lansberry:
- During his tenure at Disney Parks, Lansberry has held a variety of leadership roles in finance, business development, alliances, and operations.
- He assumed the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, in 2017, which was expanded in 2018 to also include Consumer Products.
- In that role, he has been responsible for the financial planning and fiscal management of domestic and international theme parks and resorts, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Walt Disney Imagineering, revenue management and analytics, global business development, and Consumer Products.
- He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Ball State University and a Master of Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College.
What they’re saying:
- Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company CEO: “Christine McCarthy is one of the most admired financial executives in America, and her impact on The Walt Disney Company during 23 years of dedicated service cannot be overstated. Christine has served as a key strategic anchor during a period of great transformation, and she and I have discussed her desire to ensure an orderly and successful CFO succession in advance of the company’s transition to its next chief executive officer. She is stepping down from her CFO role as she takes family medical leave, but has graciously offered to move into an advisory position to assist her successor in assuming the duties she has so expertly handled these many years.”
- Iger added: “Among her many contributions to the company, one of the things I admire most about Christine is the generous mentorship she has provided to so many of her colleagues over the years, including countless women,” Iger said. “She has opened doors, created opportunities, and served as a role model for women at every level of business—not just at Disney, but around the world.”
- Iger on appointing Lansberry as Interim CFO: “Kevin has been with the company for more than three decades and is a trusted lieutenant to Christine. Having expertly served as CFO at our largest business segment since 2017, he has my complete confidence, and I look forward to working with him during this transition.”
- Christine McCarthy: “I am immensely grateful for the opportunity Bob provided me to serve as CFO of this iconic company and am proud of the work my talented team has done to position Disney to capitalize on the business possibilities that lie ahead. Although I am leaving the CFO role, I look forward to helping with the transition and will always be rooting for the success of my extended Disney family, who have shown time and again that determination, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence are an unstoppable combination.”