Anne Sweeney

Suffice it to say Ben Sherwood has some big shoes to fill. As Sweeney departs the Mouse House after 18 years at the company, her legacy shines brightly. Her “closing credits” would fill dozens of screens, but to name a few: Under Sweeney’s guidance, ABC became the first network to offer shows online way back in 2005. She also built ABC Family into a top cable network, and steered Disney Channel to become the youth programming powerhouse it is today. Sweeney oversaw Disney’s equity interest in A+E Nets, Hulu and others, and her division had more than a small hand in parent Disney’s stock hitting an all-time high in March. Exactly how and when she’ll take her talents behind the camera remains to be seen. In the meantime, the industry will be waiting.

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