The Walt Disney Company has a new CEO — Josh D’Amaro.

The chairman of Disney’s experiences division, which includes the company’s theme parks, cruise line, resorts and consumer products, was named to succeed long-time CEO Bob Iger. He will be the eighth CEO in Disney’s more than 100-year history.

D’Amaro, 54, joined Disney in 1998 and has held leadership roles both domestically and internationally, including chief financial officer of Disney’s consumer products global licensing division, president of Disneyland Resort and president of Walt Disney World Resort.

His appointment to the top job once again brings to the fore Disney’s storied history in park-going at a time of massive growth for the division — with Disney committing to $60 billion in park investments over a decade. D’Amaro beat out Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, for the CEO spot after a closely watched succession race.

Since D’Amaro took over as head of experiences in May 2020, revenue in the the division has grown nearly 40%, from $26.2 billion in fiscal 2019 to $36.2 billion in fiscal 2025.

Last year the business unit accounted for about 40% of Disney’s total annual revenue.

Perhaps more impressive is the division’s profits: Experiences operating income has jumped from $6.8 billion in fiscal 2019 to $10 billion in fiscal 2025, a nearly 50% increase. Since fiscal 2022, the experiences division has accounted for anywhere between 55% and 70% of Disney’s profits.

After parks and resorts reopened, D’Amaro oversaw the launches of new rides like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Tron Lightcycle Run, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure as well as new themed lands like the refurbished Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland.

International development expanded, too, with the opening of Fantasy Springs at Tokyo Disneyland and a “Zootopia”-themed land at Shanghai Disneyland.

D’Amaro was also the leader behind the growth in Disney’s cruise line, which is set to double its fleet size by 2031. Three new ships have already set sail, with a fourth on the way in April.

Over in consumer products, D’Amaro pushed Iger to invest $1.5 billion in Epic Games, giving Disney a digital playground within the company’s online game Fortnite. This space is particularly important to attract a younger demographic that has become harder and harder for companies to reach.

D’Amaro’s got experience outside of the division, too. As Disney has infused more of its film franchises into its theme parks, cruises and hotels, he’s partnered with the company’s studio heads. Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Disney Animation and more have become intermingled with D’Amaro’s division.

On Monday Disney reported quarterly revenue for its entertainment segment, which includes streaming and theatrical releases, of $11.61 billion, up 7% year over year. However, it was the first quarter that Disney didn’t report streaming subscriber numbers.

Maintaining the stability of Disney’s streaming future will be a key focus for the company’s next CEO.

“Looking back just a few years when our movie business was suffering from Covid and the streaming business was obviously not in an acceptable place, it’s clear that the future of both of those businesses, or let’s call it our entertainment business, is also bright and it’s going to grow,” Iger said on the company’s earnings call Monday.

D’Amaro will also contend with the legacy of his predecessor. The last time Iger stepped away from the company, he returned less than two years later to right the ship.

— CNBC’s Lillian Rizzo contributed to this report.