Disney boss Bob Iger taps former execs & Candle co-CEOs Kevin Mayer & Tom Staggs as advisors

L-R: Kevin Mayer & Tom Staggs

Disney chief Bob Iger has hired former executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs to serve as consultants as the Mouse House looks to define its legacy TV strategy.

The move comes after Iger’s recent admission that Disney’s linear TV divisions such as ABC, FX and Nat Geo “may not be core” to the business, with the pair brought on to advise Iger on assets such as ESPN – and potentially other areas of the company.

Mayer and Staggs, who set up the Blackstone Group-backed Candle Media in 2021, were both once seen as potential successors to Iger during his first tenure as CEO, with the role instead going to Bob Chapek, who was then ousted last year ahead of Iger’s return.

Their return comes just a few weeks after Disney extended Iger’s contract for a further two years, with the exec having originally returned with the task of finding a permanent replacement for Chapek, raising questions about the Mouse House’s succession plans.

Mayer worked closely with Iger during his time at Disney and was a key architect of Disney’s streaming strategy ahead of the launch of Disney+.

Staggs, meanwhile, served in several senior roles during his time at the company, including as chief operating officer, chief financial officer and as head of Disney theme parks.

According to online news site Puck, which first reported Mayer and Staggs’ return to the Disney fold, the execs will work with ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro to plan a new strategy for sports channel ESPN, as well as serving as advisors to Iger.