The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

DISCUSSING HIS MEMOIR

October 1, 8pm Alex Theatre, Glendale

Iger is chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. He became CEO in 2005, during a difficult time. Competition was more intense than ever and technology was changing faster than at any time in the company’s history. His vision came down to three clear ideas: Recommit to the concept that quality matters, embrace technology instead of fighting it, and think bigger—think global—and turn Disney into a stronger brand in international markets. Twelve years later, Disney is the largest, most respected media company in the world, counting Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox among its properties. Its value is nearly five times what it was when Iger took over. In The Ride of a

Lifetime, Iger shares the lessons he’s learned while running Disney and leading its 200,000 employees. He explores the principles he believes are necessary for leadership during this hypercompetitive age of technological change. Iger also describes his friendship with Steve Jobs and his abiding love of the Star Wars mythology.

“Nurturing creativity is less a skill than an art— especially at a company where the brand alone is synonymous with creativity. That’s a lot to live up to. Bob Iger has not only lived up to ninety-six years of groundbreaking history but has moved the Disney brand far beyond anyone’s expectations, and he has done it with grace and audacity. This book shows you how that’s happened.”—Steven Spielberg

Brian Grazer is an Oscar-winning producer. He also appears at Live Talks Los Angeles on September 25 discussing his book, Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection.