Christine McCarthy is stepping down as The Walt Disney Company’s chief financial officer and taking a family medical leave of absence. McCarthy will be replaced in the interim by Kevin Lansberry, executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Parks Experiences and Products division, effective July 1.
“Christine McCarthy is one of the most admired financial executives in America, and her impact on The Walt Disney Company during 23 years of dedicated service cannot be overstated,” CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.
McCarthy will continue as a strategic advisor to the company during her leave and will assist with the process of identifying and onboarding a long-term successor to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity Bob provided me to serve as CFO of this iconic company and am proud of the work my talented team has done to position Disney to capitalize on the business possibilities that lie ahead,” McCarthy added. “Although I am leaving the CFO role, I look forward to helping with the transition and will always be rooting for the success of my extended Disney family, who have shown time and again that determination, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence are an unstoppable combination.”
McCarthy joined the company as a treasurer in 2000 before being elevated to the CFO role in 2015. Prior to Disney, she served as Imperial Bancorp’s executive vice president and CFO from 1997 to 2000 and held various executive positions in finance and planning at irst Interstate Bancorp from 1981 to 1996. She currently serves on the board of directors of Procter & Gamble and FM Global and is a trustee of the Carnegie Institution for Science.
As interim CFO, Lansberry is tasked with overseeing the entertainment giant’s worldwide finance organization, including corporate alliances and partnerships, real estate, strategy, business development, enterprise technology, financial planning and analysis, global product and labor standards, global security, investor relations, risk management, tax and treasury.
“Kevin has been with the company for more than three decades and is a trusted lieutenant to Christine. Having expertly served as CFO at our largest business segment since 2017, he has my complete confidence, and I look forward to working with him during this transition,” Iger said.
During his tenure in the Parks, Experiences and Productions division, Lansberry has held leadership roles in finance, business development, alliances and operations. He assumed his the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in 2017 and later expanded his oversight to consumer products in 2018. In that role, he’s been responsible for the financial planning and fiscal management of domestic and international theme parks and resorts, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Walt Disney Imagineering, revenue management and analytics, global business development and Consumer Products.
More to come…
