Can’t miss you if you won’t go away, Bob
Bob Iger’s nose just grew a couple of inches — again.
Walt Disney’s longtime chief executive agreed to extend his stay at the helm until July 2019 — despite his earlier insistence that he would do no such thing.
“I’m serious this time around,” Iger told a tech conference at USC Thursday, eliciting chuckles from the audience.
That’s on the heels of October 2014, when Iger had delayed stepping down until June of next year — the third such delay in four years — by saying, “This time I really mean it.”
Iger had first said he would retire in April 2015, then agreed to stay on through June 2016 before extending his contract to June 2018.
Under the latest arrangement with Disney’s board, 65-year-old Iger will lead the company until July 2, 2019 — and then serve as a consultant for three years after that.
In his Thursday comments, Iger pleaded that “succession is a complicated thing,” adding, “I felt and the board felt we could use more time to create a better transition.”
Iger, who last month signaled he was open to extending his term. has been accused by critics of thwarting the candidacy of potential successors, most notably former operating chief Thomas Staggs.
Iger has engineered successful acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel and “Star Wars” producer Lucasfilm, but lately has grappled with declining viewership at Disney’s ESPN sports network.
Disney said Thursday its board was searching for Iger’s successor — a statement it has made before. The company said Iger’s annual compensation for the extended employment period remained unchanged.
Disney shares rose 16 cents, to $112.24.