Disney has today announced that Rebecca Campbell will become the new Chairman of Direct-to-consumers and International.
Ms. Campbell is a 23-year Disney veteran who has held leadership roles across the Company’s media, international and parks businesses and most recently served as President of Disneyland Resort. As Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, Ms. Campbell will oversee the Company’s streaming businesses globally, including Disney+—which this month reached 54.5 million paid subscribers less than six months after its launch—as well as ESPN+, Hulu and Hotstar. Ms. Campbell’s portfolio also includes the Company’s international businesses, including Disney’s International Channels, Fox Networks International and Star India.
“As we look to grow our direct-to-consumer business and continue to expand into new markets, I can think of no one better suited to lead this effort than Rebecca,” Mr. Chapek said. “She is an exceptionally talented and dedicated leader with a wealth of experience in media, operations and international businesses. She played a critical role in the launch of Disney+ globally while overseeing the EMEA region, and her strong business acumen and creative vision will be invaluable in taking our successful and well-established streaming services into the future.”
Said Ms. Campbell: “Having been a part of the Direct-to-Consumer and International leadership team, I know what a stellar group it is, and I’m honored to be able to lead the organization during this dynamic and exciting time. Armed with the best creative content engines and technology teams in the industry, I am extremely confident in our ability to continue growing the business around the globe.”
Ms. Campbell succeeds longtime Disney executive Kevin Mayer, who is leaving the Company to become Chief Operating Officer of ByteDance and Chief Executive Officer of TikTok, ByteDance’s popular mobile video platform. Mr. Mayer led Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment since its founding in 2018 and oversaw the successful launches of ESPN+ and Disney+ and the integration of Hulu.
As Chairman of DTCI, Ms. Campbell will drive the next phase of Disney+’s growth as the service rolls out in new markets around the globe. Following launches in Western Europe and India this spring, Disney+ will debut in Japan in June, followed by the Nordics, Belgium, Luxembourg and Portugal in September, and Latin America later in the year.
Ms. Campbell will also oversee the expansion of Disney+’s robust collection of library and original content, which has continued to grow since the service launched last November.