Disney Layoffs of 1,000 Employees Are Underway; CEO Josh D’Amaro Says ‘I Know This Is Hard’

Disney Layoffs of 1,000 Employees Are Underway; CEO Josh D’Amaro Says ‘I Know This Is Hard’

Disney is making layoffs this week to “streamline our operations” in numerous components of the corporate, CEO Josh D’Amaro stated in a memo to workers Tuesday.

The media firm is eliminating about 1,000 roles, primarily because of this of Disney’s formation of a consolidated enterprise marketing division under the leadership of Asad Ayaz, chief advertising and model officer, a supply aware of the scenario stated. The cuts will span advertising capabilities throughout Disney’s studios, TV networks, ESPN, product and know-how, and company teams, the supply added.

D’Amaro, in his notice to workers, stated the unified enterprise advertising and model group is “designed to serve consumers in an even more connected way.”

“Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” he wrote within the memo. “Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs. As a result, we will be eliminating roles in some parts of the company and have begun notifying impacted employees.”

“I know this is hard,” D’Amaro wrote. “These decisions are not a reflection of their contributions, or of the overall strength of the company. Rather, they reflect our continual evaluation of how to more effectively manage our resources and reinvest in our businesses.”

Disney reported having about 231,000 full- and part-time workers as of September 2025 (the tip of its fiscal yr).

It’s the primary large restructuring motion beneath D’Amaro, who took over as Disney’s CEO on March 18 from Bob Iger. D’Amaro was beforehand the chairman of Disney Experiences.

Read D’Amaro’s memo concerning the job cuts:

Dear Fellow Employees & Cast Members,

We have skilled a fantastic deal of change these previous couple of years, each on the firm and throughout our industries. Knowing firsthand how these moments can convey uncertainty, I wish to be open about some tough information that will likely be communicated this week.

In January, we introduced our unified enterprise advertising and model group, designed to serve shoppers in an much more linked manner. Over the previous a number of months, we’ve got checked out methods during which we will streamline our operations in numerous components of the corporate to make sure we ship the world-class creativity and innovation our followers worth and anticipate from Disney. Given the fast-moving tempo of our industries, this requires us to always assess find out how to foster a extra agile and technologically-enabled workforce to fulfill tomorrow’s wants. As a end result, we will likely be eliminating roles in some components of the corporate and have begun notifying impacted workers.

I do know that is onerous. Those that will likely be leaving us have completed significant work right here and care deeply about this firm. These selections usually are not a mirrored image of their contributions, or of the general power of the corporate. Rather, they replicate our continuous analysis of find out how to extra successfully handle our sources and reinvest in our companies.

Compassion and respect stay on the coronary heart of our firm. As we transfer ahead by means of this transition, our precedence is to assist these impacted and assist every particular person navigate what comes subsequent with sources, steering, and direct assist.

Despite these tough selections, I stay optimistic about the place we’re headed as an organization. I’m deeply grateful for all of your contributions and for the dedication, professionalism, and care you convey to your work every day. Even in difficult moments, you proceed to show what makes Disney so particular.

Josh

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