Disney CEO Bob Iger delivers message of ‘Renewed Strength’ at AGM

Iger’s comments came after the announcement that, based on the tabulation of Disney’s proxy solicitor, it appears that Disney’s full slate of 12 directors had been elected by a substantial margin over the nominees of Trian and Blackwells. Final voting tallies are subject to certification by the company’s independent inspector of elections and preliminary and final results will be included in the company’s report to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the coming days.

“I just want to take a moment to thank our shareholders for your trust and confidence in the Disney Board and management and the ambitious strategy we are implementing across our businesses to build for the future,” Iger told shareholders. “Now that this distracting proxy contest is behind us, we’re eager to focus 100% of our attention on our most important priorities: growth and value creation for our shareholders and creative excellence for our consumers.”

Building for Growth
Iger also told shareholders during the virtual meeting Wednesday about the ongoing positive impact of Disney’s strategic transformation and the company’s forward momentum building its businesses for growth.

“Our plans are ambitious, our strategy is working, and our future is bright,” Iger said in a video message from Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Noting the company’s significant progress since the previous Annual Meeting, Iger noted, “As we gather today, we stand on a far more solid foundation, which has been fortified by our ambitious course of action over the past year. We are once again building our businesses for growth. And as we demonstrated during our most recent earnings report, we have turned the corner and entered a new, positive era for The Walt Disney Company.”

Iger highlighted the four key building priorities anchoring the company’s growth strategy:

• Reinvigorating creativity at Disney’s film studios;
• Achieving sustained profitability in streaming;
• Positioning ESPN for the future and turning it into the preeminent digital sports platform;
• Turbocharging growth in the company’s Experiences business, including domestic and international Parks and the Disney Cruise Line.“We are executing at a rapid pace, and we are doing so from a position of renewed strength with tremendous optimism,” Iger noted.

The Walt Disney Company