Walt Disney Studios Co-Chairman Alan Horn Steps Down

Disney’s legendary co-chairman Alan Horn has stepped down from the company this week but will still remain on board as chief creative officer.

Moving forward, Alan Bergman will now be Walt Disney Studios’ sole chairman effective January 1st.

Bergman and Horn had been running the studio together since May of 2019. At the time Bergman had been named co-chairman and 77-year old Horn had added chief creative officer
to his titles.

Horn is an entertainment legend who has over 50 years of experience in the industry. Before Disney, the executive had been president and COO at Warner Brothers from 1999 to 2011. Horn had been the executive producer of all three Hobbit films.

It was in 2012 that former Disney CEO Bob Iger brought Horn out of retirement to become the chairman of Disney. In 2019 when Bergman was given the co-chairman title, it was in expectation that he would one day take on the role solely.

Bergman is a 24-year veteran of the compay. From 2005 to 2019, Bergman served as president of Walt Disney Studios where he led the integrations of Pixar and Marvel Studios, and released 25 films that tallied at least $1 billion at the global box office.

“It has been an honor to lead The Walt Disney Studios over the past eight-plus years,” Horn said. “It has been an amazing run, and the time feels right to shift my focus solely to our enormous creative slate.”

It was this month at Disney’s annual investor day that the company announced 100 film and TV projects. Roughly 80% of them are going straight to the company’s streaming platform Disney+.

Bergman will now oversee creative, production, marketing and operations for Disney’s studios content, which includes Disney, Walt Disney Animation, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century, Searchlight Pictures and Blue Sky Studios. He will also oversee Disney’s theatrical productions.

“I am grateful to take on the role of chairman of the studios as I believe deeply in our people, culture, and the work we do,” said Bergman.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.