Chapek memoir alleges Iger worked to undermine him

Former Walt Disney Co. chief executive Bob Chapek alleges in excerpts from his forthcoming memoir that Bob Iger worked for three years to undermine him and push him out of the job. The claim is Chapek’s account and is not independently established in the reported material. Iger, in a separate interview, said Disney’s earlier succession process had not adequately assessed whether a successor could handle a crisis. Chapek writes that Iger regretted choosing him as successor and used his position as executive chairman to question his decisions and undermine his leadership. He also alleges Iger disparaged him in conversations with industry figures. The excerpts present Chapek’s view of their working relationship; the available accounts do not provide independent corroboration of the alleged campaign. Disney’s board removed Chapek as CEO in November 2022 and brought Iger back to the role. Chapek had succeeded Iger in February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the company. In an interview published Thursday, Iger said the 2019-20 succession process may not have been thorough enough because Disney’s leadership believed it knew Chapek well.