Ex-Disney exec to head TikTok

Former Disney executive Kevin Mayer will become the head of TikTok and chief operating officer of the popular video app’s parent company, the group announced on Monday.

Mayer’s surprise jump from one of the entertainment industry’s most venerable companies is another victory for buzzy upstart TikTok, which has seen a surge in popularity among people locked down during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayer, pictured, headed Disney’s direct-to-consumer offerings, where he oversaw the successful rollout of Disney+ television streaming service.

His new realm will include TikTok and global development at the app’s parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance.

He will report directly to ByteDance founder and chief executive Yiming Zhang.

“Kevin’s wealth of experience building successful global businesses makes him an outstanding fit for our mission of inspiring creativity for users globally,” Zhang said.

Mayer’s job at Disney included managing Hulu, ESPN+ and Hotstar operations on the direct-to-consumer platform, according to ByteDance.

ByteDance owns TikTok, whose kaleidoscopic feeds of 15 to 60-second video clips feature everything from hair-dye tutorials to dance routines and jokes about daily life.

Since launching in 2017, TikTok has been downloaded more than two billion times, according to US-based research agency SensorTower.

It has huge followings in India, the US, Indonesia and elsewhere.

Buzzy upstart TikTok saw a surge in downloads once lockdowns to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus began.

TikTok saw 65 million worldwide downloads in March alone, according to SensorTower.