About Bob Iger
Bob Iger is an American media business executive, currently serving as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. His illustrious career at Disney began with roles as president of ABC from 1994 to 1995 and president and COO of Capital Cities/ABC from 1995 until its acquisition by Disney in 1996. In 2000, he was named president of Disney and subsequently succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO in 2005 until his retirement in 2021. At the request of Disney's board, he returned as CEO in November 2022 after the sudden departure of his appointed successor, Bob Chapek. During his initial 15-year stewardship, Iger led transformative initiatives, expanding Disney's intellectual properties, increasing international market presence, and significantly growing the company's market capitalization from $48 billion to $257 billion. He spearheaded major acquisitions, including Pixar, Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, and played a crucial role in the establishment of Disney theme park resorts in East Asia. Under his leadership, Disney Animation Studios thrived, the direct-to-consumer strategy flourished with the success of Disney+ and Hulu, and he received accolades such as Time's Businessperson of the Year in 2019 and induction into the Television Hall of Fame in 2020. In recognition of his contributions to UK/US relations, he was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
Bob Iger Early Life & Family
Bob Iger, whose full name is Robert Allen Iger, was born on 10th February 1951 into a Jewish family in New York City, USA, and raised in Oceanside. He holds American nationality and identifies as American-White ethnicity. He is the eldest son of Miriam "Mimi" and Arthur L. Iger, with his father being a World War II Navy veteran and an executive vice president and general manager of the Greenvale Marketing Corporation, as well as a professor of advertising and public relations. His mother worked at Boardman Junior High School in Oceanside, New York. Bob Iger's paternal grandfather was the brother of cartoonist Jerry Iger. As of 2023, he celebrated his 72nd birthday, and his religion is Judaism.
For his education, he attended Fulton Avenue School and graduated from Oceanside High School in 1969. Later, in 1973, he graduated magna cum laude from the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Television and Radio.
Bob Iger Career
- In 1972, Bob Iger kick-started his journey in the media world by taking on the role of a host for the Ithaca College television show called "Campus Probe."
- Initially aspiring to become a news anchor, he briefly tried his hand as a weatherman in Ithaca for a period of five months before redirecting his career ambitions.
- In 1974, he embarked on his journey with the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), starting with humble beginnings as he performed menial tasks on television sets, earning $150 a week (equivalent to over $700 today, adjusted for inflation).
- His career trajectory gained momentum in 1988 when he served as the senior program executive for the Calgary Winter Olympics. Despite facing disruptive weather and delays, Iger's resourcefulness shone as he focused on captivating human interest stories, such as those of the Jamaican bobsled team and Eddie the Eagle, resulting in record-high ratings for ABC.
- This success caught the attention of top ABC executives Daniel Burke and Thomas Murphy, who became strong advocates for Iger as he climbed the ranks at the network.
- In 1989, he was appointed head of ABC Entertainment, where he greenlit popular shows like Twin Peaks, America's Funniest Home Videos, and Cop Rock.
- Iger's ascent continued as he held various prestigious positions within the network, culminating in his appointment as president and chief operating officer of ABC's corporate parent, Capital Cities/ABC, in 1994.
- In 1995, The Walt Disney Company acquired Capital Cities/ABC, which was then renamed ABC, Inc. He held the position of chairman until 1999.
- Subsequently, on February 25, 1999, Disney appointed Iger as the president of Walt Disney International, overseeing the company's international operations, and as chairman of the ABC Group, though with reduced day-to-day authority at ABC.
- Later, on January 24, 2000, he was named the president and chief operating officer (COO) of Disney, becoming the second-highest executive under CEO Michael Eisner.
- In 2005, amidst a campaign called "save Disney" led by Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold against Eisner, Iger was chosen as Eisner's successor and officially became CEO on September 30, 2005, after Eisner's resignation. The campaign ceased, and Iger gained the trust and cooperation of Disney's board members.
- As CEO, one of Bob Iger's initial significant moves was reshuffling Disney's leadership, including reassigning Peter Murphy, the chief strategic officer, and disbanding the Strategic Planning division. During his tenure, he gained the nickname "Bob" instead of "Robert."
- Under Iger's guidance, Disney made several major acquisitions, starting with the purchase of Pixar for $7.4 billion in 2006, followed by reclaiming the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit from NBCUniversal.
- In 2009, he negotiated the acquisition of Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, leading to tremendous box office success through Marvel movies. Iger became chairman of Disney's board in 2012 and joined Apple's board of directors in 2011.
- Additionally, he orchestrated the purchase of Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012, granting Disney control over the Star Wars franchise. His leadership also resulted in the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort in 2016, a venture worth $5.5 billion.
- Originally intended to run until June 30, 2018, his contract was extended to July 2, 2019, with an additional three-year consultancy role announced in March 2017. Further, in December 2017, Disney prolonged Iger's contract through 2021.
- During his leadership, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox assets after approval in July 2018 and the finalization of the deal in March 2019.
- In April 2019, he revealed his departure as CEO and chairman upon the contract's expiration in 2021.
- Although initially set to retire in 2020, he became executive chairman while Bob Chapek assumed the CEO role. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Iger's mandate was unexpectedly extended until the end of 2021.
- On November 20, 2022, he returned as CEO after Chapek's departure, and on July 12, 2023, he and Disney agreed to further extend his contract until the end of 2026.
- In October 2020, he took on a directorship position at Perfect Day, a well-funded startup focused on dairy-replacement products.
- Additionally, in March 2022, he became a board member of Genies, Inc., further expanding his involvement in innovative ventures.
- Besides his business career, Bob Iger has described himself as a political centrist and was previously affiliated with the Democratic Party. However, in 2016, he switched his party registration to independent.
- In May 2016, during a dispute over low wages at Disney Resort, Iger engaged in a Facebook post, defending Disney's employment record but faced criticism from Senator Bernie Sanders.
- Disney later settled with the Department of Labor and agreed to pay back wages.
- In August 2016, Iger co-chaired a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, and on December 2, 2016, he was named to President-elect Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum. However, he resigned from the Forum on June 1, 2017, in protest after the United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement.
- Although Iger considered running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, he ultimately decided against it.
Bob Iger Net Worth
Bob Iger is an influential media business executive, renowned for his role as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $350 million, and he earns an impressive annual income of over $20 million. His position as CEO awards him approximately $27 million in yearly target compensation, reflecting his exceptional leadership and accomplishments. With an estimated net worth of about $690 million as of 2019, his success largely stems from his tenure as Disney's CEO for over a decade. Bob Iger's remarkable achievements have garnered him numerous accolades, including being named TIME's Businessperson of the Year in 2019, landing a spot on Forbes' list of World's Most Powerful People in 2018, and earning the title of Top Gun CEO in 2009 and CEO of the Year in 2014. His impressive career journey also saw him being inducted into the Television Academy of America in January 2020, as well as the Broadcasting Cable Hall of Fame in 2015. Throughout his 15-year stewardship of Disney, Iger successfully expanded the company's intellectual properties, strengthened its global presence, and significantly boosted its market capitalization from $48 billion to a staggering $257 billion. He also masterminded major acquisitions, including Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion, Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for $4 billion, Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4.06 billion, and the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019 for $71.3 billion. He is living a lavish lifestyle as of now.
Bob Iger Wife & Children
Bob Iger has been married twice. His first marriage to Kathleen Susan Iger concluded in divorce, and they share two daughters. Subsequently, in 1995, Iger tied the knot with journalist Willow Bay in a beautiful interfaith Jewish and Roman Catholic ceremony in Bridgehampton, New York. Willow Bay is a multitalented personality, being a television journalist, editor, author, and former model. Together, they have two children, Robert Maxwell "Max" Iger, born in 1998, and William Iger, born in 2002. The family is thriving and leading a joyful and fulfilled life. He is straight when it comes to his sexuality.
Bob Iger Height & Weight
At the age of 72, Bob Iger still looks very handsome. Standing tall at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m), his slim physique, weighing around 75 Kg (171 lbs), adds to his graceful presence. His warm and approachable pair of brown eyes reflect a lifetime of experience, while his stylish grey hair adds a touch of sophistication. He has got a healthy body as of now and he wears a spectacle that suits him well. He maintains his body a lot by doing frequent exercise and he is very conscious about his food intake.
