Disney’s international EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) teams are bracing for layoffs and content cuts.
According to Deadline, they are expecting redundancies and budget cuts to come shortly, and these plans are currently being finalized.
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently announced The Walt Disney Company is seeking $5.5BN in cost savings. The first of three rounds of around 7,000 layoffs started last week and the second round – which will likely come in a few weeks – is “the big one” and a “bloodbath,” sources told the Deadline. The third is expected before the summer. It is unclear whether the international layoffs would comprise part of the 7,000 or be additional.
One source said, “Undoubtedly there will be cuts, so we are waiting for names and headcount details to emerge.”
Another insider said the international division is “right in the midst of [the decision-making],” although this source expects to be hit harder by budget cuts than redundancies.
Per Deadline, Disney has approximately 5,000 staff outside the U.S., we understand, with around 40% based in Hammersmith, West London, and others stationed across Europe and Asia. Disney+’s content team is based in the English capital and reports to Diego Londono, the organization’s EVP, Media Networks and Content, while there are boots on the ground in key territories such as France and Germany.
Last month’s layoffs in the US included cuts from Marvel, Hulu, ABC News and more.
Source: Deadline