Disneyland Shake-Up: Thomas Mazloum Named President of Theme Park In Experiences Reorg

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Disney Company is reorganizing its Experiences department’s leadership structure, which will result in a new president for Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, as part of these alterations.

Disney has announced that Ken Potrock, the current head of Disneyland Resort, will transition to a different corporate position as President of The Walt Disney Company’s Major Events Integration. In this new role, Potrock, who became president of Disneyland in 2020, will be tasked with creating strategic, cross-company plans to optimize the value of significant sports, entertainment, and tourism events such as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 250th Anniversary of the United States.

Disney has revealed that Ken Potrock, the incumbent leader of Disneyland Resort, is set to assume a new corporate post as President of The Walt Disney Company’s Major Events Integration. This fresh role will involve Potrock, who took over as president of Disneyland in 2020, devising comprehensive strategies that encompass multiple companies for the purpose of maximizing the potential of large-scale sports, entertainment, and tourism events like the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 250th Anniversary celebration of the nation.

Under the new arrangement, Potrock will maintain dual-reporting lines; he’ll keep working under Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, as well as ESPN and Sports Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

Initially, Disney observed that the Paris Olympics in the previous year negatively impacted Disneyland Paris, as tourists opted to attend the games instead of visiting the park. However, his new role seems to be about leveraging significant events such as the 2027 Super Bowl (to be held in Los Angeles) as chances for the company to gain profit, rather than causing a detrimental effect.

Meanwhile, Thomas Mazloum has been named the new president of Disneyland Resort.

Most recently, Mazloum held the position as President of Disney’s Signature Experiences, encompassing entities such as the Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, Disney’s Aulani resort, and other businesses. Prior to this role, he held several leadership positions at Walt Disney World.

Without a doubt, Disneyland represents Walt Disney’s initial real-life experiment in immersive entertainment. Spanning across its two theme parks, numerous hotels, and the Downtown Disney district, it employs over 36,000 team members.

Joe Schott is set to take charge of Disney Signature Experiences, moving over from Shanghai Disney where he served as president and general manager. In turn, Andrew Bolstein has been elevated to replace Schott at Shanghai Disney.

Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences’ chairman, noted that we have numerous business leaders who think globally. These experienced individuals can easily take on crucial positions in our wide array of businesses. They boast a wealth of technical and operational knowledge, coupled with a deep understanding of customer satisfaction, and they embody qualities that foster innovation, creativity, and effectiveness,” said the statement.

Disney’s experiences remain unrivaled in the industry, a testament to their excellence, as expressed by Disney CEO Bob Iger in the company’s annual shareholder letter on Thursday. This leadership is underpinned by iconic theme parks such as Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Over the coming decade, the company plans to invest approximately $60 billion in its division, with this investment encompassing a variety of new attractions and lands within its parks, an expansion that will see its theme park fleet more than double, and these parks serving as a platform for Disney’s intellectual property.

D’Amaro is spearheading the efforts, but it’s important to note that, as recent changes have shown, Disney, as an organization, tends to shift executives to ensure they can achieve their goals effectively.

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2025-01-24 01:56