Years in Industry: 30+
Education: University of Nottingham
Despite a pandemic that has caused massive disruptions to Disney’s overall business, The Mouse just powers through in no small part because of the leadership exhibited by Peter Rice and James Pitaro, co-chairs of Disney Media Networks. Rice’s Hollywood sensibility—gleaned from his time at 21st Century Fox—has continued to serve Disney well as he navigates disrupted production schedules and shifting consumer consumption patterns between linear TV and streaming. And Pitaro’s sports savvy has helped ESPN solidify its relevance even as major sports leagues shut down their seasons in response to the COVID-19, as the network pivoted to emerging sports events and classic footage that keeps our competitive fires burning. With these two at the helm, and an assist from last year’s Disney+ launch, Disney remains poised to power through 2020 and into 2021 even stronger.
