As part of Disney CEO Bob Iger’s mission to reorganize the business structure at The Walt Disney Company, Asad Ayaz and Joe Earley have been promoted to new positions, effective immediately.
Asad Ayaz
Asad Ayaz has been named the first-ever Chief Brand Officer of The Walt Disney Company, and will be reporting directly to Iger in this position.
Disney says he will be “responsible for stewarding and elevating the Disney brand globally across the entire ecosystem of company touchpoints and consumer experiences.”
Among other cross-company brand initiatives, Ayaz will oversee the Disney100 campaign as the company celebrates its 100th year. He recently led the development and creation of the Disney100 Special Look spot that debuted during this year’s Super Bowl, as well as the Studios’ new 100-year logo refresh now appearing on all Disney-branded films.
Prior to this, Ayaz has been President of Marketing for The Walt Disney Studios since 2018.
He has been responsible for overseeing all aspects of marketing and publicity for the Studios’ films and series, including the MCU, Pixar and Lucasfilm franchises, as well as for Disney+ globally, reporting to Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman.
Apparently he will also be continuing that role along with his new one, because he’s just that good at his job.
“Throughout both my early life and my time at the company, I’ve marveled at the power of Disney’s storytelling, experiences, and simply the name itself to inspire people and resonate through generations,” said Ayaz in a statement.
“I am immensely grateful to Bob for entrusting me with this opportunity, and I’m excited to work with the amazing teams around our company to highlight all the things that make Disney exceptional and ensure that we continue to create those meaningful connections with audiences for many more generations to come.”
Joe Earley
Joe Earley has been promoted to President, Direct-to-Consumer, Disney Entertainment, after the former holder of that title, Michael Paull has left the company after six years.
He will lead Disney Entertainment’s streaming efforts, including Disney+ and Hulu, and will be reporting to Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, co-chairs of Disney Entertainment.
Disney says in his new role, Earley will work closely with content teams around the company to continue to expand the company’s streaming efforts and drive impactful and resonant programming and engagement offerings across Disney+ and Hulu.
Earley joined Disney in January 2019 to oversee Disney+ marketing and operations in the leadup to the streamer’s hugely successful November launch that year, adding responsibility for content curation in 2021 as the service expanded to dozens of markets worldwide.
He was named president of Hulu in January 2022. In addition to his new duties, Earley will continue leading Hulu until a successor is identified.
“Joe has proven himself to be an extraordinary asset and is uniquely positioned for this role as we guide Disney’s streaming strategy into the future,” Bergman and Walden said in a statement.
“His vast industry experience and deep understanding of what sets our prestigious portfolio of brands apart will be essential as we build on our robust direct-to-consumer efforts. Joe is a talented, passionate leader, committed to creative excellence, and we look forward to partnering with him in this next chapter.”
Congratulations to both Asad Ayaz and Joe Earley! I look forward to seeing what they do in their new positions.